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At Ted Stevens' funeral Wednesday, a host of dignitaries and friends recalled how the late senator fought for Alaskans. Among them was Vice President Joe Biden, who recalled first meeting Stevens when he was elected to the Senate at age 29.

"No state has ever had a more fierce defender of that state's way of life than Ted Stevens," Biden said.

Security for the event was heavy with not only Alaska's most important political leaders on hand but many of national note as well. Joining Biden for the memorial were a number of former and serving senators. Stevens' old friend Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, was among them. Inouye was one of the few in the nation's Capitol who rallied to Stevens' side after he was charged with failing to report campaign contributions. Both men were staunch advocates for their states. Stevens' family held true to his heartfelt conviction to the very end.

Some had to wonder if maybe God himself wasn't making a statement on Stevens' future with the changing of the weather Wednesday.

"We're having senator's weather,'' said Barbara Mee, a longtime staffer who greeted many friends who had worked with her for Stevens.

It was the 15th anniversary of Mee's wedding. She remembered how Stevens had agreed to marry her on a golf course, though he hated golf.

"We have to laugh honey, or we continue to cry," she said.

It was hard for some to hold back tears when Jim Morhard, a visible reminder of the recent tragedy, was wheeled in at Anchorage Baptist Temple. A Washington, D.C., lobbyist and one-time Stevens chief of staff, he was one of four people who survived the plane crash that left Stevens dead. His left arm in a split, his right-leg immobilized, Morhard was rolled into a front row seat.

Stevens and four others died Aug. 9 in a plane crash. GCI executive Dana Tindall, her teenage daughter, Corey, lobbyist and lawyer Bill Phillips and pilot Terry Smith were also killed. Four people survived -- Phillips' 13 year old son, Willy, former NASA head Sean O'Keefe, his son, Kevin, 19, and Morhard.

3,000 attend funeral

The line of honorary pallbearers who came to help lay Stevens to rest was long with many notables. Some of those in attendance at the ceremony were discreetly taking photos of those they were unlikely to see elsewhere or possibly again. Some appeared to be recording the comments of Joe Biden on the I-phones.

Biden was in the same room with former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for what was believed to be the first time since their "can I call you Joe" vice-presidential debate. Palin was there with husband Todd. She was joined by her replacement after resignation, Gov. Sean Parnell, and a gaggle of gubernatorial hopefuls chasing his seat in the upcoming election.

Honorary pallbearers made their way into the auditorium through a door held narrowly a jar by a trash can. "Stay nice and close to the person in front of you," a volunteer advised them.

Baptist Temple preacher Jerry Prevo reviewed his open Bible in the hallway as the dignitaries moved toward the auditorium, and the Secret Service continued to worry over the security, at one point checking to make sure both the Anchorage Police and Fire departments were standing by just in case. Firefighters at one point assured them that if more support was needed other fire truckers were only minutes away.

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Up to 4,500 people had been expected for the memorial, but in the end it was estimated only about 3,000 turned up. Most of them fit into the 2,300-person auditorium. About 400 went into an overflow facility. The temple had prepared with five such overflow facilities, but needed only one. Still, 3,000 people made Anchorage Baptist Temple for a time more populous than the city of Seward.

Inside the church, the many former Stevens' staff members in attendance wore round buttons sporting his old campaign logo. Honorary pallbearers wore flag pins designating Steven's two loves, Alaska and America. With room limited, some attendees were shifted to an overflow room in a gymnasium at the adjacent Anchorage Christian School. There were Harley Davidson motorcyclists there and visitors to Anchorage from out of town.