Dick Cheney Laid to Rest at National Cathedral — George W. Bush and Liz Cheney Deliver Eulogies

More than 1,000 invited guests gathered at Washington National Cathedral on Thursday for the funeral of former Vice President Dick Cheney, who died Nov. 3 at age 84 from complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease. Family, former presidents and senior officials attended a service that mixed intimate family memories with formal honors and acknowledgments of a contested public legacy.

Service, music and liturgy

The ceremony included traditional liturgical elements and musical honors. Cheney's casket was carried down the cathedral's center aisle while the U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters, the Cathedral Choir and the U.S. Marine Chamber Orchestra performed William Steffe's "Battle Hymn of the Republic." Rev. Sean Rowe, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, recited Scripture as the casket was placed before the altar, and the Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, dean of Washington National Cathedral, delivered the homily.

Eulogies and personal memories

Dr. Jonathan Reiner, Cheney's cardiologist, opened the eulogies with a personal portrait of a man who was private and unassuming despite holding enormous responsibilities. "No one wants a doctor who is great at funerals," Reiner said, adding that he had seen a side of Cheney the public rarely witnessed.

Former aide and longtime colleague Pete Williams recalled Cheney's love of Wyoming, fly-fishing and horseback riding, and shared lighthearted Pentagon anecdotes. Several grandchildren — Elizabeth Perry, Richard Perry and Grace Perry — offered affectionate tributes that highlighted cross-country drives, classroom visits and rodeo memories that showed a softer, familial side of the former vice president.

Former President George W. Bush reflected on his partnership with Cheney, recounting how he asked him to lead the search for a running mate and later concluded the best choice sat before him. Bush called Cheney a "true man of the West" and praised his service, saying, "We are grateful for his good life, we honor his service, and we pray that somewhere up the trail, we will meet him again."

Cheney's eldest daughter, former Rep. Liz Cheney, closed the service with the final eulogy, calling her father "a giant to the end" and "a lion of a man who loved and served this great republic." She recalled family rituals that emphasized sacrifice and civic duty, described a comforting final night when clouds looked like winged angels, and shared that his last words were to tell his wife he loved her. She ended with the family's farewell: "Goodnight, sweet Dad. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."

Attendance and notable absences

Attendees included former presidents George W. Bush and Joe Biden, and all four living former vice presidents: Dan Quayle, Al Gore, Mike Pence and Kamala Harris, as well as a range of senior officials and judges. Reports indicated former President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance were not invited. The White House did lower flags to half-staff following Cheney's death.

Legacy: service and controversy

Speakers and attendees acknowledged both Cheney's long record of public service and the controversies that shaped his legacy. Cheney served as vice president for eight years, secretary of defense (1989–1993), a decade in the House of Representatives and as White House chief of staff. He is widely regarded as one of the most powerful and polarizing vice presidents in American history for his role in the U.S. decision to invade Iraq in 2003, his advocacy for aggressive interrogation policies including waterboarding, his efforts to expand executive authority, and his private-sector ties, including his time at Halliburton.

The service closed with musical and ritual honors and a final procession as family and attendees paid their respects.