United States Representative Charlie Rangel (Democrat of New York) departs from his Capitol Hill office on Tuesday, November 30, 2010. Credit: Ron Sachs / CNP/Sipa USA
Rangel Departure
(New York, NY) — Memorial services begin today for former Congressman Charles Rangel, who will lie in repose today and tomorrow at St. Aloysius Church in Harlem. The New York City lawmaker and Korean war veteran once served as an altar boy there. A private viewing for Rangel’s family will then be held at City Hall on Wednesday evening followed by a public viewing and an honor guard ceremony on Thursday. Rangel’s funeral mass will be held Friday at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. He died at the age of 94 on Memorial Day.
Rangel was elected to the U.S. House as a Democrat in 1971 and served 46 years in the chamber before retiring in 2017. He was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and eventually became chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee in 2007. Rangel was well known for sponsoring dozens of bills during his time in Congress and he was the primary sponsor of President Obama’s historic health care reform law.
