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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 27 February 2018

Thousands pay their respects to the Rev. Billy Graham

By JEFFREY COLLINS tion that day. able to say goodbye to a Public viewing was to con- he will be the first private
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — “I know she is in heaven person who was influential tinue Monday and Tuesday citizen to lie in honor there
Thousands of people from thanking him right now,” in our lives and influential until 10 p.m. at Graham’s since civil rights hero Rosa
all walks of life — includ- Parks in 2005.
ing a former president — The funeral will be held in
filed slowly past the casket a giant tent as a nod to
of the Rev. Billy Graham Graham’s 1949 Los Ange-
on Monday to pay their les crusade. That revival,
final respects to a man which Graham said pro-
who reached millions with pelled him to worldwide
his message of salvation fame, was held in a circus
through Jesus Christ. tent dubbed the “Can-
A light drizzle greeted vas Cathedral.” The man
mourners on hand at 8 a.m. called “America’s Pastor”
when the doors opened to would eventually preach
Graham's boyhood home, to an estimated 210 mil-
but it had tapered by the lion people in person and
late afternoon when former many more through his pio-
President George W. Bush neering use of prime-time
arrived with his wife, Laura. telecasts, network radio,
The viewing was expected daily newspaper columns,
to last late into the night for evangelistic films and satel-
the famed evangelist, who lite TV hookups.
died Wednesday at age Billy Wayne Arrington was a
99. boy when he first encoun-
Mourners of all races, tered Graham on a TV
young and old, some in screen in Kingsport, Tennes-
suits and some in T-shirts see. He now does Christian
and flip-flops, walked theater. Arrington wiped
through the parlor where tears from his eyes as he
Graham's closed casket lay exited after saying a prayer
on a black pedestal. They for Graham and for the
walked past family photos world he leaves behind.
and a cross made of white People stop to pray after paying respects to Billy Graham during a public viewing at the “I’m just overwhelmed, not
lilies to see the simple ply- Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Feb. 26, 2018. by sadness — just over-
wood container made by (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) whelmed to see so many
prison inmates. At the door lives touched,” Arrington
for the first few hours was said.
Graham's grandson, Roy, she said. Mother passed in the lives of millions,” Bush Charlotte library on the Graham will be buried be-
shaking the hand of every her faith on to daughter, told reporters afterward. campus of the Billy Graham side his wife, Ruth, who
person who came to see and Turner said she passed He also brought condo- Evangelistic Association. His died in 2007, at the foot
his grandfather. it down to five children and lences from his father, body will then be taken of a cross-shaped walk-
"I just wanted to tell them four great-grandchildren. George H.W. Bush, whom to the U.S. Capitol, where way at Graham’s library in
how much I appreciated “That’s an amazing thing,” he described as a great Wednesday and Thursday Charlotte.q
the love for my family," Roy she said. Graham’s funeral friend of Graham’s.
Graham said. is Friday, and President Don- “I know he wished he
And they responded with ald Trump said he will at- could come too, but he’s
stories. Roy Graham said tend. Invitations were sent not moving around much
what moved him the most to all ex-presidents of the these days,” Bush said.
Monday were the dozens U.S. Bush has said he chose Former President Barack
who paused and told him Monday because he had a Obama is not planning to
the exact moment and scheduling conflict with the attend memorial services
place Billy Graham came funeral. He was greeted by for Graham this week, his
into their lives through Graham’s son Franklin and office said. Obama tweet-
his hundreds of crusades spent about 30 minutes ed last week after that Gra-
around the world. with the family during a pri- ham was “was a humble
Cecily Turner is one of vate viewing. “Laura and I servant who prayed for
them. Her mother was at are honored to be able to so many — and who, with
Billy Graham’s 1957 New come and pay our respects wisdom and grace, gave
York crusade and she said to the Graham family and, hope and guidance to
he led her mother to salva- more importantly, to be generations of Americans.”