Pepper Buried: ‘Underdog Champion’

U.S. Rep. Claude Pepper, the beloved champion of the nation’s elderly, was buried Monday in this city where he began his political career 60 years ago.

“Claude Pepper never forgot his duty as an elected official to fight for the common welfare,” Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell (D-Me.) told about 1,000 mourners at First Baptist Church in the state capital.

“His energy and his vision will be sorely missed as the Congress now moves to take up Claude Pepper’s last testament--legislation to provide long-term care for America’s elderly,” Mitchell said.

Pepper, a Democrat known nationally as a fighter for the elderly and the poor during his 41 years in the Senate and the House of Representatives, died a week ago in Washington of stomach cancer. He was 88.

Members of Congress and top Florida officials were among those attending Monday’s service just two blocks from the old Florida Capitol, where Pepper began his career of public service in 1929 as a member of the state House.

“He instinctively reached out to the underdog,” said former Gov. Reubin Askew. “He was always willing to stand, many times when there weren’t many people willing to stand up for other people.”

Pepper was buried next to his wife, Mildred, in a family plot at Oakland Cemetery in Tallahassee. The epitaph he requested was brief and poignant: “He loved God and the people and sought to serve both.”

Before the funeral, Gov. Bob Martinez signed a bill naming a new state building for Pepper.