President Ford's State Funeral begans in Palm Springs, California ~ Schedule

Former President Ford's Body Arrives At California Church, Marking Beginning of Public Mourning

Dec. 28: A military honor guard rehearses for former President Gerald R. Ford's memorial service with an empty casket in Palm Desert, Calif. Ford died Tuesday.


Friday, Dec. 29 -- Palm Desert, Calif.
Funeral plans for President Ford. All times are local:
12:20 p.m.
President Ford's casket arrives at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Palm Desert, Calif. Mrs. Ford and the family will have a private prayer service.

1:15 p.m.
Close friends and guests will arrive at St. Margaret's for private visitation. The Ford family will return to their residence.

4:20 p.m.
Public repose begins at St. Margaret's. The church will remain open until 8 a.m. on Saturday.

Saturday, Dec. 30 -- Palm Desert, Calif., to Washington, D.C.

9:45 a.m.
Departure ceremony from St. Margaret's.

10:15 a.m.
The remains will depart Palm Springs Regional Airport and be flown to Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

5:20 p.m.
Ford's body arrives at Andrews Air Force Base, traveling to the U.S. Capitol. The motorcade will travel through Alexandria, Va., in remembrance of Ford's long residence in that city as a congressman and as vice president. The motorcade also will pause at the World War II Memorial.

6:20 p.m.
The casket will be carried up the east steps of the Capitol to the door of the House of Representatives.

6:30 p.m.
The casket will be received with ceremony at the east steps to the U.S. House of Representatives. The casket will proceed up the steps in honor of Ford's 24 years as a House member. Ford's remains will be met by a group of his former House colleagues. The casket will lie in repose at the open House doors. The casket will then be carried through Statuary Hall to the Rotunda for the Lying in State portion of the state funeral.

After the arrival ceremony, the Rotunda will open to the public until midnight. The public waiting area will be at the southwest corner of the Capitol grounds, across from the U.S. Botanic Garden.

Sunday, Dec. 31, and Monday, Jan. 1 -- Washington, D.C.

Ford's body continues in state. Rotunda open to the public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 2 -- Washington, D.C., to Grand Rapids, Mich.

9:15 a.m.
Lying in State ends.

9:30 a.m.
The remains will depart the Rotunda and rest at the closed Senate doors in honor of Ford's service as vice president of the United States and president of the Senate. The motorcade will then proceed to the Washington National Cathedral, passing the White House.

10 a.m.
The remains will be received with ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral.

10:30 a.m.
National funeral service begins.

11:30 a.m.
The remains will depart with ceremony from Washington National Cathedral. A motorcade will transport the casket from the cathedral to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., for a departure ceremony at approximately.

12:15 p.m.
Departure ceremony from Andrews.

2:15 p.m.
Body will arrive at Gerald R. Ford International Airport, Grand Rapids, Mich. The casket will then be moved by motorcade to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids, for a brief private service. During the service, wreaths will be placed at the casket by the presidents of Yale University and the University of Michigan in honor of President Fords law degree and undergraduate degree, from those institutions respectively.

Following the service, Ford's remains will lie in repose beginning at 5 p.m., until 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3. The public is invited to pay respects at the museum during repose.

Wednesday, Jan. 3. -- Grand Rapids, Mich.

1 p.m.
Remains will depart the museum with ceremony and proceed to Grace Episcopal Church, East Grand Rapids, for a private funeral service for invited guests only.

1:30 p.m.
Remains arrive at the church with ceremony. Following the service, the remains will depart the church with ceremony.

3 p.m.
The remains will proceed to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum for a private interment service.

3:30 p.m.
Interment service and burial.