Walter Cronkite’s family has released details on his funeral service tomorrow at 2pmET at St. Bartholomew’s Church in Manhattan. The service will be a traditional burial service from the Book of Common Prayer with the Rev. William McD. Tully presiding. Music will be performed by St. Bartholomew’s Choir. The music was chosen in cooperation with the family and will include a jazz band’s rendition of “When The Saints Go Marching In” during the final procession. Speakers will include Andy Rooney, Sanford Socolow, Mike Ashford and Bill Harbach followed by a final tribute from son Chip Cronkite.
St. Bartholomew’s is the church that Walter and Betsy Cronkite brought their family to in 1960, and where their children, Chip, Nancy and Kathy went to Sunday school and worshipped regularly over the years. Betsy Cronkite’s funeral was held there in 2005.
The Cronkite family has requested that donations be sent to The Walter and Betsy Cronkite Fund in care of The Austin Community Foundation. They will distribute the funds as a tribute to their parents’ wishes and values: local and national charities they supported, among them education (including sailing), journalism, basic needs, health care and research, community organizations, planned parenthood and animals.
Personal notes may be sent to the Cronkite Family, c/o St. Bartholomew’s Church, 325 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022.
CBS News is providing a live three camera switched feed via satellite, which the cable news networks have the option of taking.