LANSING — Governor Gretchen Whitmer has declared that flags in Michigan will remain lowered in honor of former Vice President Dick Cheney who passed away on November 4. Cheney was Vice President from 2001-2009, serving under President George W. Bush.
“Former Vice President Cheney was a dedicated public servant,” said Governor Whitmer in a press release. “From interning in Congress to serving as the Vice President of the United States, Dick Cheney spent his life working for the American people. He was also a loving father, grandfather, and husband. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him.”
The release went on to say that Dick Cheney was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Wyoming. Cheney began his career in public service as an intern for Congressman William A. Steiger. Throughout his career, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives and was appointed as the Secretary of Defense to President George H. W. Bush. In July 2000, Cheney was selected as the running mate to Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush. He served as Vice President of the United States for eight years.
Cheney, a lifelong Republican, spent the final years of his life speaking out against the current Republican President and in defense of the U.S. Constitution. In 2022, Cheney appeared in an ad for his daughter Liz Cheney as she competed in, and ultimately lost, a contested primary. In 2024, Cheney indicated that he voted for Kamala Harris declaring, “There has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.”
“He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. He can never be trusted with power again. As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution,” Cheney continued when announcing his support for Harris.
Cheney’s funeral will take place at the National Cathedral in the Washington, D.C. on Thursday, November 20th at 11 a.m.
