Emotional farewell to Sen. John McCain held at Arizona Capitol

PHOENIX — Family, friends and others gathered Wednesday at Arizona’s Capitol to pay their respects to Sen. John McCain in the first of two days of local services.

A private ceremony was held in the morning at the Arizona State Capitol Museum rotunda, where McCain will lie in state throughout the day.

The televised ceremony included remarks from Gov. Doug Ducey and former U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl, plus a benediction from Sen. Jeff Flake.

The McCain family had been in seclusion since the six-term senator died of brain cancer at their ranch near Sedona on Saturday.

Wednesday would have been his 82nd birthday.

During the emotional ceremony, family members and others approached McCain’s flag-covered casket one by one after the speakers finished. His wife Cindy placed her cheek against the flag tenderly, and daughter Meghan, who broke down as she entered the rotunda, sobbed again as she said goodbye.

“When John McCain called on us to ‘serve a purpose greater than one’s own self interest’ — it wasn’t a talking point designed to win the next election,” Ducey said, according to text of his remarks provided to the media.

“It was how he had actually lived his own life, and continued to live his life. It’s how he wanted all of us to live ours.”

The Capitol opened in the afternoon for public viewing. It will last as long as people are waiting in line, Rick Davis, family spokesman and McCain’s former presidential campaign manager, said earlier this week.

🚦Traffic Restrictions and Authorized Parking for @SenatorJohnMcCain memorial at Arizona State Capitol are mapped here: https://t.co/FgkM4pgxHj #SenatorJohnMcCain

— Dept. Public Safety (@Arizona_DPS) August 29, 2018

Roads were restricted in the area, and shuttles to the Capitol were available for guests parking at the Arizona State Fairgrounds at McDowell Road and 19th Avenue. Valley Metro also implemented detours for its bus service to account for the activity.

Crews spent the past several days preparing the Capitol for the visitors, hauling in chairs, cleaning up the building and assembling dozens of flags. McCain is the third person to lie in state in the rotunda in the last 40 years; others were Arizona State Sen. Marilyn Jarrett in 2006 and Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens, a Tucson resident, in 1980.

McCain has been a political fixture in Arizona since the early 1980s, first as a congressman and then as a senator in the seat once held by conservative icon Sen. Barry Goldwater.

Thursday morning, a procession will make its way through the city on the way to a memorial service at North Phoenix Baptist Church. The family encouraged the public to line the route.

The church service will include tributes, readings and musical performances. Former Vice President Joe Biden will deliver a eulogy; the Brophy Student Ensemble will sing “Amazing Grace.” The planned recessional was “My Way” by Frank Sinatra.

pic.twitter.com/mSAVqbZLoo

— Jan Brewer (@GovBrewer) August 29, 2018

After that, McCain will depart Arizona for the last time from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport for the East Coast.

Servicemen and -women already lining 17th Street in front of the Arizona Capitol building…awaiting procession for @SenJohnMcCain’s memorial this morning. @ClineKathleen pic.twitter.com/H5h0X0fYRz

— Kathy Cline (@ClineKathleen) August 29, 2018

Another viewing will be at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, with a final memorial service at the Washington National Cathedral.

He will be buried Sunday at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland, next to his closest friend, Adm. Chuck Larson.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

KTAR News 92.3 FM will air commercial-free coverage of the Arizona memorial service for Sen. John McCain from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday.

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