Hundreds of friends, family, and well-wishers gathered in Greensboro Tuesday to say goodbye to longtime 6th District Congressman Howard Coble.
Coble died last week at 84.
Westover Baptist Church rang out with song, laughter, and a few tears at the public service celebrating Coble.
The congressman served the Greensboro area for three decades, and politics aside, everyone on stage agreed that Coble was genuine, funny, and truly dedicated to public service.
Governor Pat McCrory says Coble was a close mentor, a great representative, and a good man.
“He appealed to everybody. He talked eye-to-eye with everybody no matter where they came from or what they did,” McCrory said. “North Carolina is going to miss him because he was a friend to everybody. He wasn't just our congressman. He was our friend.”
In his eulogy, McCrory proclaimed November 10th to be “Howard Coble Day”.
The governor said the proclamation recognized Coble's unique fashion sense (he was known for a special Madras jacket, for example), his knowledge of high school mascots, and what he called Coble's “genuine heart, soul, and spirit.”
Coble was buried later Tuesday at a private ceremony open only to family.