Former Supreme Court Justice to Receive National Cathedral Funeral Tribute

A funeral service is scheduled to be held at the National Cathedral to honor the late Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the pioneering first woman to serve on the highest court in the United States. The event will be live-streamed and will feature eulogies from President Biden and Chief Justice John Roberts. O'Connor, who passed away in Phoenix at the age of 93, was lauded by Justice Sonia Sotomayor as a trailblazer and role model for women, appreciated for her impact on the law and her ability to navigate male-dominated spaces with grace. The service follows a day of public paying of respects as O'Connor lay in repose at the Supreme Court. With her appointment by President Ronald Reagan and unanimous Senate confirmation, O'Connor made history as the first female justice on the Supreme Court. Throughout her 24-year tenure, O'Connor played a pivotal role as a swing vote in contentious cases. Notable decisions included reaffirming the right to abortion and allowing the limited use of race in university admissions. After retiring from the Supreme Court to care for her ailing husband, O'Connor became an advocate for civics education and established the group iCivics. She was posthumously honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama and passed away due to complications related to advanced dementia and respiratory illness.