Death and state funeral of Gerald Ford grandchildren came to the museum that night and greeted mourners for several hours. Shortly after noon on January 3, Ford's body was removed from the museum and taken by motorcade to Grace Episcopal Church in East Grand Rapids, where a private funeral service was conducted Thousands of people lined the entire motorcade route to the church. During the service, eulogies were delivered by Donald Rumsfeld (President Ford's White House Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense), former President Jimmy Carter, Richard Norton Smith (former Director of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum and a close personal friend of
Death and state funeral of Gerald Ford President Ford), President Bush, and Vice President Cheney. Prayers were offered by Sarah Ford Goodfellow, Tyne Vance Berlanga, and Christian Gerald Ford, grandchildren of President and Mrs. Ford. The Army Chorus sang "The Battle Hymn Of The Republic" and a solo of "On Eagle's Wings" sung by Sergeant First Class Alvy Powell. One pew was draped with a University of Michigan stadium blanket in honor of legendary Michigan coach Bo Schembechler, who was to be an honorary pallbearer for President Ford but died two months earlier. After the church service, Ford's remains were transported back to the museum and carried