"I thought to myself, I bet this is the only time in their entire lives that Billy Crystal and Robin Williams are the second and third funniest people at the table," he said, drawing chuckles from misty-eyed family members. All rights reserved. Her portrait was draped in black. I, ah, didn't think I had enough time this morning, and I didn't wanna call the President and tell him he had to cut, and they promised me that nobody had a hook up here. At one point, he bent down to comfort Richards' 8-year-old grandson Wyatt, who broke down in sobs.Be in the know. Singer Nanci Griffith performed and actress Lily Tomlin attended, family spokesman Bill Crier said."She was a grand dame," said Creighton Bailey, 39, who moved to Austin shortly before Richards was elected governor in 1990. Hundreds of mourners snaked around the building. ""In this case, goodbye is also a celebration, because of the big things that Ann Richards did," Clinton said.During her one term as governor from 1991-95 she championed what she called the "New Texas," appointing more women and minorities to state posts than any of her predecessors. Ann Richards. Well, Nancy, ah, the truth is I'd counted on Barbara preaching my funeral. Later, some visitors left tributes to Richards on a grassy area in front of the Capitol.Clinton paused for a moment beside the casket, then greeted family members, hugging or shaking hands with each one in attendance. The obituary was featured in Legacy on September 13, 2006, New York Times on September 15, 2006, and Austin American-Statesman on September 15, … She also was very funny."Former President Bill Clinton paid tribute to Richards on Saturday as a woman who had "a big heart, big dreams, did big deeds."This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "First she was big: big hair, big bright eyes, big blinding smile. "For 30-plus years, that is certainly what she was to me and Hillary," he said. All market data delayed 20 minutes.Richards was "the smartest, funniest and strongest woman that many of us ever knew," Kirk said as he opened the music-filled service. Ann Richards passed away. Two huge photographs of Richards in her political prime hung on each side of the stage.Richards' electoral defeat to Bush in 1994 signaled the Republican takeover of Texas statewide politics.All weekend, Richards' fans who paid their respects at her casket at the Texas Capitol spoke of her as a role model for young women and told of her famous sense of humor.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. All rights reserved. Let's keep her that way."
She was governor from 1991-95 and was remembered for her for her sharp wit and dedication to fighting for women and minorities.Thousands of admirers streamed into the Frank Erwin Events Center at the University of Texas, a cavernous building usually used for college basketball games and rock concerts. "One note read: "Ann, Thank you for all that you've done for women in Texas. "Copyright © 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved.He described the world that Richards wanted for her grandchildren as one "where young girls grew up to be scientists, engineers, police officers and teachers ... where the dreams and the spirit were as big as the sky in her beloved home.