At slightly after 11 a.m. this morning, Congressman John Murtha’s casket was removed from the hearse outside Westmont Presbyterian Church and taken into the church by members of a military color guard representing all the branches of service.

The hymn, “Faith of Our Fathers,” was played by the Marine band as the casket was taken up the steps. Snow continued to fall as the doors of the church closed behind the contingent.

The choir led the congregation in singing “Eternal Father, Strong To Save,” otherwise known as the Navy Hymn.

“For everything there is a season,” intoned Father William George, family friend and president of Georgetown Preparatory School, reading from the book of Ecclesiates. “And a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.”

Then he added his own words: “A time to make laws, a time to change laws, a time to earmark.

“I was hoping you’d laugh at that,” he said with a nervous laugh.

“We can all thank God for having Jack Murtha as long as we did,” George said.

Read the complete Tribune-Democrat story here.

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