STATE COLLEGE, Pa. —
An estimated 27,000 mourners paid their respects to Joe Paterno over the past two days, and on Wednesday, the legendary coach was laid to rest.
Paterno died Sunday at age 85, less than three months after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
After a private funeral on Wednesday, thousands of people lined the streets as a procession left the Spiritual Center and drove past Beaver Stadium, then headed through downtown State College. A private burial followed the procession.
Communications Director for Penn State Athletics, Jeff Nelson, estimated 27,000 people, including alumni, fans and former players, visited the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center during Tuesday’s 10 hours of public viewing. Hundreds more lined up for Wednesday’s four-hour visitation.
A blue hearse arrived at Penn State University early Tuesday bearing Paterno’s body. Franco Harris and Fran Fisher were those who arrived first for the visitation, and the closed casket was accompanied by a past and a present player at all times as thousands came to pay their respects.
On Thursday, a public memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. at the Bryce Jordan Center, the basketball arena at the intersection of Curtin Road and University Drive next to Beaver Stadium.
The Hall of Fame coach’s death has prompted an outpouring of tributes and remembrances in honor of his legacy as one of the greatest coaches in the history of college football. Penn State fans and alumni have come to University Park to honor Paterno’s legacy at the bronze statue of him outside Beaver Stadium.
On Monday, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett ordered flags lowered to half-staff at state facilities through Paterno’s burial.
During his 46-year career, Paterno achieved the Division I coaching record with 409 career victories. Penn State won more football games under Paterno’s leadership than any other coach in history, and the team was ranked No. 1 academically out of the top 25 football teams in 2009 and 2011 by the New America Foundation’s Academic Bowl Championship Series. Beaver Stadium was renovated and enlarged six times during his tenure.
Paterno was fired in November following the arrest of a former longtime assistant on child sex-abuse charges. The university’s board of trustees cited Paterno’s failure to report one assault allegation to police as a chief reason for his ouster.
In addition to his wife, Sue, he is survived by the couple’s five children: Diana, Joseph Jr. “Jay”, Mary Kay, David and Scott; and 17 grandchildren. All of their children are Penn State graduates, and Jay Paterno was the quarterbacks coach at Penn State until earlier this month.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family requests that donations be made to the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania (www.specialolympicspa.org) or the Penn State THON (The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon; www.thon.org or call 1-800-392-THON.
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