Death and state funeral of Richard Nixon

State funeral of Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon (left) in 1993 with then-president Bill Clinton (right), a year before his death.
LocationRichard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, Yorba Linda, California, U.S.
ParticipantsGerald Ford
Jimmy Carter
Ronald Reagan
George H. W. Bush
Bill Clinton
Spiro Agnew
Bob Dole
Henry Kissinger
Pete Wilson
Sir Edward Heath (former UK Prime Minister)
Zou Jiahua (Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China)

On April 22, 1994, Richard Nixon, the 37th president of the United States, died after suffering a significant stroke four days earlier, at the age of 81.

His state[1] funeral followed five days later at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in his hometown of Yorba Linda, California. He was the first former president to die in 21 years since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1973, while Nixon was president.

Nixon's wife, Pat, died on June 22, 1993. Just under ten months later, on April 18, 1994, Nixon had a cerebrovascular accident at his home in Park Ridge, New Jersey, and was taken to New York Hospital–Cornell Medical Center.[2] After an initial favorable prognosis, Nixon slipped into a deep coma and died four days later at the age of 81. His body was flown to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, Orange County, California, via SAM 27000, the presidential plane used as Air Force One while Nixon was in office.[3] His body was transported to the Nixon Library and laid in repose. A public memorial service was held on April 27, attended by world dignitaries from 85 countries and all five living presidents of the United States, the first time that five U.S. presidents attended the funeral of another president.

Nixon's state funeral is unique among recent presidential state funerals in that, in accordance with his own wishes, none of the elements of the state ceremonies occurred in the nation's capital.[4][5]

  1. ^ William Cummings (2018-12-03). "From George Washington to George H.W. Bush: The history of presidential funerals". USA Today. Archived from the original on 2018-12-16. Retrieved 2018-12-12.
  2. ^ Perez-Pena, Richard (April 19, 1994). "Nixon 'Stable' After Stroke At His Home". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-08-14.
  3. ^ "Funeral Services of President Nixon". Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace Foundation. Archived from the original on 2009-12-19. Retrieved 2008-08-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ^ William Hamilton and Christine Spolar (April 28, 1994). "Richard Nixon's Long Journey Ends". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2018-12-03. Retrieved 2018-12-12.
  5. ^ Elisabeth Bumiller and Elizabeth Becker (June 8, 2004). "The 40th President: The Plans; Down to the Last Detail, a Reagan Style Funeral". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2018-12-06. Retrieved 2018-12-12.