Jul 15, 2007 5:13 pm US/Central
Lady Bird Johnson Laid To Rest
People Lined The Streets Of Austin As Her Funeral Procession Rolled By
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) ―
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Military honor guard carries casket of Lady Bird Johnson July 15, 2007 in Austin, Texas.
AP
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People lined up in Austin to say a final goodbye to Lady Bird Johnson, who died last Wednesday. (File)
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The former first lady was devoted to saving wildflowers and native plants. (File)
AP
Clutching bunches of the wildflowers she loved, admirers of Lady Bird Johnson lined the streets on Sunday to
say goodbye as a ceremonial procession carried the former first lady's casket to her final resting place at the LBJ Ranch.
The former first lady, who was devoted to preserving wildflowers and native plants, died Wednesday at 94 of natural causes.
The route of the procession started at the state capitol, then wound through the Hill Country of central Texas to the ranch at
Stonewall, about 70 miles west of Austin.
Hundreds of people sat up lawn chairs along a sidewalk next to Town Lake, which Johnson helped beautify and turn in to a popular spot for walking and jogging.
Resident Kate Hill, a retiree, handed out sunflowers from her garden to people who passed by before the procession. Hill said Johnson's work inspired her to convert her grassy lawn into an expanse of wildflowers and other native plants, and she wanted to thank the former first lady for the beauty.
"It's the passing of an era," said Sarah Macias, 48, who works for the city's parks department and came to watch with her husband and a co-worker.
Three days of ceremonies had started Friday with family prayer services and a public visitation at the LBJ Library and Museum.
More than 11,500 people paid their respects over nearly 22 hours.
About 1,800 people, including family, friends and presidents, attended a two-hour funeral Saturday at Riverbend Centre
overlooking the Hill Country. People attended included former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, first lady Laura Bush and former first ladies Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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