Former Vice President Dick Cheney's funeral was held in Washington on Thursday, with many notable political figures attending the service at the Washington National Cathedral.
Cheney died on Nov. 3 at the age of 84 from complications of pneumonia and cardiovascular disease, his family said.
The first speaker at the service was Cheney's longtime cardiologist, Jonathan Reiner.
"I’m happy to report that I haven’t given many eulogies," Reiner lightly joked. "Nobody wants a doctor who is great at funerals."
Reiner recalled Cheney's ambition to continue his political career despite a decades-long battle with heart disease. He said Cheney was always the "calmest person in the room."
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Several of Cheney's grandchildren shared fond memories of him, referring to him as their "best friend" and "role model." His grandson, who is named after him, said Cheney could share his love for them with just a look.
Cheney's eldest daughter, former Congresswoman Liz Cheney, his eldest daughter, spoke about his dedication the country over his political party as a longtime Republican.
"Bonds of party must always yield to the single bond we share as Americans," she said. "For him, a choice between defense of the Constitution and defense of your political party was no choice at all."
She said her father loved learning about the history of the U.S. and shared that knowledge with his children and grandchildren, often taking them on trips to historical landmarks.
"He was a giant, to the end, a lion of a man who loved and served this great Republic," said the former congresswoman. "The night before my dad died, the sky above my parents' house filled with clouds in the shape of winged angels. I had never seen anything like it. It seemed, indeed, that angels and archangels and all the company of heaven had come to watch over him. As my dad left this earth, His last words were to tell my mother he loved her, and now all of us who loved him so dearly say to him, good night, sweet dad, may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."
Former President George W. Bush, under whom Cheney served as vice president for two terms, also gave a tribute during the service.
Bush talked about deciding to pick Cheney as his running mate for vice president, and, when presented with the thought, Cheney gave him a list of reasons why he shouldn't be Bush's choice.
Former vice presidents Kamala Harris, Mike Pence, Al Gore, Dan Quayle, and Former President Joe Biden and former first lady Jill Biden were all in attendance.
Former President Bill Clinton reportedly had a scheduling conflict.
Multiple sources have reported that President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance were not invited to the service. President Trump did not issue a public statement about Cheney's passing; however, the White House lowered its flags to half-staff after his death, as it said the law calls for.
“For decades, Dick Cheney served our nation, including as White House chief of staff, Wyoming’s congressman, secretary of defense and vice president of the United States,” his family said in a statement after his passing. “Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness and fly fishing. We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country, and we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man.”
His White House career dated back to the Nixon administration. He served as President Gerald Ford’s chief of staff from 1975 to 1977. After Ford lost the 1976 election, Cheney entered elected office, serving as Wyoming’s lone member of the U.S. House from 1979 to 1989.
He left Congress to become secretary of defense under President George H.W. Bush from 1989 to 1993, overseeing Operation Desert Storm. As Bush’s vice president, Cheney took on a central role in administration policy and was a key voice on national security after the attacks on the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.
Cheney announced last year that he would endorse Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.
