Gore, MacKay to speak at funeral

By PETER WALLSTEN

© St. Petersburg Times, published December 16, 1998

ALLAHASSEE -- Vice President Al Gore will deliver a eulogy at the funeral for Gov. Lawton Chiles, and is among several national figures who will attend the service.

Lawton Chiles 1930-1998 Hundreds line roads for Chiles Gore, MacKay to speak at funeral USF, HCC close today for day of mourning Mother prays for girl's savior Famous and not-so-famous offer words of condolence Florida's Crackers lose a kinsman [Bill Maxwell] More photos of his Lawton Chiles' final journey through Florida Previous coverage of the death of Lawton Chiles Online forum: The Chiles Legacy

In addition to Gore, the program includes speeches by Gov. Buddy MacKay, state Senate President Toni Jennings, U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia and former state House Speaker and Senate President Mallory Horne.

U.S. Sen. Connie Mack will come to Tallahassee aboard Air Force Two but is not scheduled to speak at the service.

Other dignitaries who will attend but are not scheduled to speak include Attorney General Janet Reno and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Carol Browner, both of whom are from Florida; Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, who worked closely with Chiles in battling the tobacco industry; and Colorado Gov. Roy Roemer.

The service at Faith Presbyterian Church will include a reading of Psalm 23 and the song It's a Wonderful World, sung by Chiles' grandchildren.

The pallbearers will be Joe Lawton Barrett, a grandson; Bo Barrett, husband of daughter Tandy; Lawton "Bud" Chiles and Ed Chiles, sons; Keith Powers, husband of daughter Rhea; and Wilbur Boyd, a longtime family friend.

As Chiles is buried at Roselawn Cemetery, four F-15 Eagle jets from the Florida Air National Guard will fly overhead in the "missing man" formation.

The lead jet bears Chiles' name. As the jets fly over, one will pull up to symbolize the missing man.