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Long list of dignitaries to attend Stevens' funeral
Political powerhouses from Alaska and the nation will descend on Anchorage tomorrow to attend the funeral of former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens. 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 lobbyist Jim Morhard. A spokesperson for the Stevens family said Tuesday that at least some of the survivors have expressed a desire to come to the funeral and are hoping to get clearance from their doctors to attend. Stevens' funeral, which is open to the public, will take place at 2 p.m. at the Anchorage Baptist Temple. Vice President Joseph Biden, and U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye (D) HI, Mitch McConnell (R) KY and Lisa Murkowski (R) AK are expected to speak during the services. U.S. Sen. Mark Begich (D) Alaska and U.S. Rep. Don Young will also attend, as well as Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell and former Govs. Sarah Palin, Frank Murkowski, Tony Knowles and Bill Sheffield. Several dozen members of the Alaska legislature, other public figures and foreign dignitaries, have also indicated they will be at Wednesday's memorial. Here's the full list sent out late this afternoon via email by Elliott Bundy and Mitch Rose, former Stevens' staffers who are assisting the family with arrangements: Expected speakers (not in order of speaking: Vice President Joeseph Biden Expected attendees: Vice President Joseph Biden Former Senators Howard Baker R-TN Current senators Mark Begich D-AK Congressman Don Young R-AK Alaska governors Sean Parnell State House of Representatives Speaker Mike Chenault Senate President Gary Steven John Coghill Foreign Dignitaries and other Public Officials The Honorable Lu Wenxiang, Deputy Consul General of China in San Francisco Senior Generals representing every branch of the Armed Services. The Stevens family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the North to The Future Foundation, which was established to recognize and honor the career of Sen. Stevens and to perpetuate public service in Alaska. Donations and remembrances may be sent to:
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