President Obama and former president Bill Clinton are among the many politicians and dignitaries that are paying their respects Saturday at the funeral of Vice President Joe Biden’s oldest son, Beau, the former attorney general of Delaware.
Beau, aged 46, died a week ago after battling brain cancer. He served in Iraq for a year in 2008 to 2009 as a lawyer in the Delaware National Guard.
The White House announced that Obama will deliver the eulogy for Beau during the Roman Catholic Mass at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington, Del.
Beau’s surviving siblings will also speak, and so will Gen. Raymond Odierno, the former top U.S. commander in Iraq. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., were in attendance at the funeral as well, NBC News reports.
The lead singer of the band Coldplay, Chris Martin, volunteered to perform at the service after hearing that Beau loved his music, reports NBC News.
Organ music wafted through the church Saturday morning as guests sat down in the crowded church and overflowed into an outer room.
Beau was diagnosed with brain cancer in August 2013, and at first showed signs of improvement from surgery and chemotherapy treatments. But his cancer returned this spring and he was hospitalized at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last month.
Thursday the vice president was visibly overcome with emotion as a flag was draped over his son’s casket during a memorial service. “The Biden family is Delaware’s family,” said Delaware’s Democratic Gov. Jack Markell at the memorial.
Beau is survived by his widow Hallie and their two children, Natalie and Hunter.
