Family arrives to escort Reagan's body to D.C.

Because of the large turnout, the period of lying in repose had to be extended.
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) -- Nancy Reagan arrived at her husband's hilltop library today to escort the body of former President Ronald Reagan from California to Washington, D.C., for national memorial services.
The Reagan family was to escort the body from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library to the nearby Navy base at Point Mugu for a flight to Andrews Air Force Base near Washington aboard a presidential Boeing 747. A black hearse arrived at the library this morning to carry the casket to Point Mugu, with a second hearse as a backup.
From Andrews, the body was to be taken to the Capitol to lie in state until a funeral at the National Cathedral on Friday. It will then be returned to California for burial at the presidential library that evening.
Paying respect
More than 100,000 admirers of Reagan had filed past the former president's flag-draped coffin in a steady stream of well-wishers that continued past nightfall Tuesday.
"It's a lifetime event. I wanted to show my gratitude. I wanted to show my love," said Jesse Garcia, 52, who with his wife came from their home in Northern California.
Reagan, the nation's 40th chief executive, was 93 when he died Saturday of pneumonia, as a complication of Alzheimer's disease. He announced he had the disease a decade ago.
Popularity
His death revealed that the popularity of the former Republican president, California governor and movie actor remained strong despite his long absence from public life.
"It is unbelievable what I am seeing on TV," Reagan office chief of staff Joanne Drake quoted Mrs. Reagan as saying Tuesday. "The outpouring of love for my husband is incredible."
Mourners endured hourslong waits just to drive into a nearby college that was shut down to provide parking. They waited hours more to board shuttle buses to the library, which had to add more buses and extend its hours to handle the turnout.
"He gave us eight years of service," said Keith Godliman, 50, of Santa Clarita. "It doesn't hurt for us to wait eight hours for him. He deserves us to wait eight hours for him."
About 106,000 mourners passed by the coffin from noon Monday until the public viewing ended Tuesday night, library officials said. The viewing period was originally supposed to end at 6 p.m. Tuesday, but the overwhelming turnout forced an extension to 9 p.m.
Politicians and celebrities
The steady stream was occasionally interrupted by the arrival of political figures and celebrities. Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry stood quietly before the casket, made the sign of the cross, put his hand over his heart and left.
Other visitors included Govs. Bill Richardson of New Mexico and Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, and celebrities Morgan Fairchild and Bruce Boxleitner, who arrived as representatives of the Screen Actors Guild, which Reagan once led.
As the last of the public buses shuttled mourners down the hill late Tuesday, passengers said it would not be their last goodbye to the former president.
"We're lucky here in Southern California. We are going to have him around here forever," Marisa Steffensen, 26, said, gesturing toward the site where Reagan will be interred.
After returning from the G-8 Summit in Georgia on Thursday evening, President Bush and his wife, Laura, plan to call on Mrs. Reagan. She will be staying in the Blair House, the official guest residence across the street from the White House.
Bush also was expected to go to the Capitol that evening to visit Reagan's coffin as it lies in state, White House aides said.
On Friday morning, there will be a coffee reception at the State Department for world leaders who are in the city for the funeral.
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