Originally posted by Cliff Clavin
I've been giving this question a lot of thought, and i can tell you that many presidents in times past had funerals with a lot of pomp and circumstance, much like what we are experiencing this week with ol' Ronald Reagan.
Since the dawn of time the funeral is something that has given closure to families of all races, creeds, and nationalities.
The ancient Egyptians thought that they should embalm the dead. Even in those ancient times there were people who took care of the dead and took care of funeral arrangements for the families of their loved ones.
The ancient Romans used both cremation and burial and let the body lay in state for viewing by all. The ones who could afford the libitinarius, or as we call them undertakers, today would have them embalm the dead. In those days they would hire mourners for funeral processions and also purchase special clothing for the dead. These processions were considered to be a ceremony. Even during our times today these customs are still upheld and arrangements are made through the undertakers or funeral directors.
The ancient Greeks did not practice embalming and the families of the dead prepared the body for burial. Clothing especially for the dead and special flowers were provided by friends and also loved ones. They ancient Greeks would look at the body just to make sure the person was really dead. They also watched the body to make sure no harm came to it after death and before burial.
The Hebrews in ancient times would not consider cremation and the body was buried even without a coffin at times depending on the preference. The body was also buried the same day as they had no means to keep the body without odors. The family members performed these tasks and as they had more dead so then their skills increased to handle the dead. Usually the family of the dead performed the tasks of taking care of the dead.
Early Christians believed that death did not mean the end of relations with that person and that it was only a method of moving from one type of relationship to another. They would have a wake as they have today to view the dead and also to watch the dead and to make sure that death had actually occurred. As the years progressed Christians funerals were carried out by a clergy or a priests and certain organized activities concerning the dead were carried out as they are today. As the years further progressed dignity became a part of the service as it made the church members feel very important. They started a form of embalming which meant washing the body, putting good smelling oil on it, and also wrapped the body in layers of cloth. By this time the people who did this service were called embalmers.
At the start of the eighteenth century the undertaker was considered a person who had a trade as he performed a service to the families of the dead. Usually he had another occupation as this did not make him full time work.
The English made the funeral like a performance, with mourners and made a lot of gloom and despair as part of the performance. The undertaker not only took care of the dead and prepared him for burial but also arranged the performance.
In America in the east burial would include church services, prayers and ceremonies as it does today. The community would seem to come together after a death.
During the nineteenth century the states in America began to have legislation to regulate the embalming practice. They also became concerned about the health of those around the dead and the condition of the dead before burial for various health reasons. Death certificates became a requirement due to state laws.
In the nineteenth century most funeral services in America were held at the home of the dead. The undertaker would do all of his work at the home. Usually flowers would be hung at the door to let all around know of the passing of the dead. The undertaker would also come back to the home after the burial at the cemetery and remove all elements of the funeral service.
Today in America there are many funeral directors and funeral homes, as they are called, where the dead are brought for preparation for burial and where the service is held before the trip to the cemetery. There are many state and federal regulations today that must be followed for the care of the dead.
That being said - how does this relate to the question at hand? Historically, as others have said, the President has to submit funeral plans, usually on a yearly basis, to make it easier to determine what type of funeral the president would want if they should demise, either in or out of office.
This is the result of upon Kennedy's assasination, his wife, the fine Jacqueline, requested that he be laid to rest in the same style as President Lincoln. This resulted in hours of research in dusty books to determine what was done for him, while a stunned country waited to put the president to rest.
Since Reagans family requested the full funeral protocol, President Bush put into motion a detailed chain of command, with most arrangements delegated to Washington-area Army officials. Military planners flew to California to consult with the family.
Some other interesting facts regarding presidential burials:
Nine presidents lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda; all but two had served in Congress. Reagan did not.
Seven presidents have had funeral processions down Pennsylvania Avenue, including all four presidents to have died by assassination: Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley and Kennedy.
Kennedy and William Howard Taft are the only two presidents buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Only sitting presidents or their immediate families have lain in state in the White House.
Ex-president John Adams did not even lay in the White House, even though he died while his son, John Quincy Adams, was president. The older Adams, the countrys second president, and Thomas Jefferson, the third, died on the same day July 4, 1826 which perhaps complicated Adams chances for a White House viewing.
The Capitol has a more expansive policy for laying in state.
Congressman Henry Clay, in 1852, was the first to lay in the Capitol Rotunda. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover lay in the Capitol in 1972. Two police officers shot to death in 1998 while protecting the Capitol also lay in state there.
The first Presidental State Funeral was held in 1841 for William Henry Harrison, who not only has the distinction of being the president who died 30 days after his inaugeration from Pneumonia, but he was also the first president to die while in office.
The White House was draped in black in mourning.
Former President Lyndon Johnson was the last president, before Reagan, to have an official Washington ceremony.
I think I'd better stop before I get too long winded. It's Miller time!
