Canisius has full house, including Big Russ, for Tim Russert memorial
News Staff Reporter
Updated: 09/25/09 2:26 PM
More than 40 years ago, Tim Russert and his schoolmates would gather in the Canisius High School auditorium every Friday to celebrate their faith through a weekly Mass.
It was only fitting that his classmates gathered again today, sharing their faith in the same auditorium, to pay tribute to the man some call Buffalo's greatest ambassador.
A memorial service for Russert was held at Canisius, where he graduated in 1968. Coincidentally, the Mass was already planned as part of the school's annual alumni reunion. Russert, who died of a heart attack June 13, would have been celebrating his 40th anniversary.
In attendance today were Russert's father, Timothy "Big Russ" Russert, his sister, Kathleen Russert-Hughes, and his niece and nephew, Ashley and Jesse Hughes. The public was also invited; the school's auditorium nearly filled to capacity.
The Rev. James P. Higgins delivered the homily, in which he described the school's handbook when Russert started in 1964. In it were the values the Jesuit institution sought to instill in its students, including a love of God, a love of knowledge, and humility. Higgins said that the South Buffalo native and "Meet the Press" moderator embodied all of those qualities.
"He believed the best days were yet to come for our city, our teams, and our economy," Higgins said. "Tim captured hope and faith for all of us."
Russert's classmate, Dr. Norman J. Sfeir, delivered an emotional eulogy, describing how his 1968 graduating class learned life lessons together.
"We don't always have the same pride in ourselves as we did in Tim," Sfeir said. "He was always telling us to have pride in ourselves, in who we are and what we do."
Current Canisius students helped with the Mass; Russert's nephew Jesse graduated from the school this year.
Afterward, a line of well-wishers greeted Big Russ, who stayed seated in the front row long after the Mass had ended. He quietly greeted and acknowledged each person who came over to wish him well.
Family friend Mike Shea stayed seated with Big Russ. Shea had helped to take care of him these last few years; he said the younger Russert would call him four or five times a week to see how his father was doing.
Shea was in Washington with Russert's wife, journalist Maureen Orth, and his son, Luke, last week during the wake and funeral. He said while everyone in the entire country will continue to feel Russert's loss, each Buffalonian should step up just a little bit more to help fill the void that Russert left behind.
"In every city, Tim was a breath of fresh air," Shea said. "He always had time for advice or to help someone else."
On the back of the memorial service program was an old Irish blessing, a tribute to Russert's South Buffalo roots. Its last line read, "May God hold you in the palm of his hand."
