Arrangements, services in place for Graham

By Alan Wooten
The Center Square

In a service expected to bring together many foreign leaders touched through his policy work on behalf of the United States, the late U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina will be eulogized at Washington National Cathedral by President Donald Trump.

Graham died July 11. His sister, Darline Graham Nordone, was chosen to succeed him by Gov. Henry McMaster and has indicated she’ll file for the special election primary in August and try to land his spot both on the November ballot and for the next six years in Congress.

She released arrangements details for her brother on Tuesday morning.

The remains of Graham, a fourth-term lawmaker in the Beltway, on Tuesday of next week will first go to the U.S. Capitol for a short, private program in the Senate. His remains will then go to the National Cathedral for a service at 2 p.m.

His remains are expected to arrive in Columbia later Tuesday ahead of Wednesday morning’s procession at the state House of Representatives. His remains will then go to the First Baptist Church of Columbia, and a private family burial will be later in the day a couple of hours away in Pickens County.

Graham was a member of Congress for 31 years. The Seneca native was a veteran of the South Carolina Air National Guard (1989-95) and U.S. Air Force (1982-88) following law and undergraduate degrees from the University of South Carolina.

By trade, Graham was a private practice lawyer and had stints as assistant attorney for Oconee County and city attorney for Central. His lawmaking career included the South Carolina House of Representatives (1992-94), the U.S. House of Representatives (1995-2003) and the U.S. Senate (2003-2026).

Participating at various times in the Tuesday and Wednesday ceremonies will be the Armed Forces Body Bearer Team; U.S. Capitol Police memorial guard; the South Carolina State Guard caisson detachment; a South Carolina law enforcement presentation; and an F-16 flyover from the 169th Fighter Wing of McEntire Joint National Guard Base headquartered in Eastover about 15 miles from Columbia in Richland County.

The arrangements were put together through scheduling with the National Cathedral and requests to attend from multiple foreign dignitaries. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly said he plans to attend. Wartime security may prevent advance notice, but many believe Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine, will also attend.

Graham was the last living of a group known as The Three Amigos – fellow Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., were the others. Together, they advocated strong American leadership, defense spending and approach to national security.