ST. LOUIS (AP) 鈥 Children and grandchildren of former U.S. Sen. Jean Carnahan of Missouri recalled her wit, curiosity, kindness and hard work during a public memorial service on Saturday.
Carnahan, 90, died Jan. 30 in hospice care in suburban St. Louis after a short illness.
鈥淚n the last few days, as if preparing to be shot out of the cannon, Mom told us, 鈥業鈥檓 ready to blast out,鈥欌 one of her sons, Russ Carnahan, said to hundreds gathered at The Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis, the reported. 鈥淎nd of course, Mom had a file for this day, containing the title page 鈥楳ere service suggestions.鈥
鈥淪o welcome to the service Mom planned.鈥
Carnahan became Missouri's first female U.S. senator when she was appointed in 2001 to replace her husband, Mel Carnahan. The two-term Democratic governor was running for Senate against incumbent Republican John Ashcroft when Carnahan died in a plane crash that also killed his son, Randy, and campaign adviser Chris Sifford, just weeks before the 2000 election.
Mel Carnahan's name remained on the ballot and he won despite his death. Jean Carnahan served until 2002.
Another son, Tom Carnahan, told mourners that he has realized recently how much he wants to emulate his mother.
鈥淚t means when the world seems too much to bear, you clear your mind, embrace your heart and take a step forward,鈥 he said.
鈥淚t means showing the world who you are by what you do and then doing it with passion. It means being the cause and not the effect and staying curious, taking authentic interest in others, and, sometimes, not taking yourself quite so seriously," he said.
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A previous version of this story incorrectly identified Tom Carnahan as Tim Carnahan.
