Angie Craig: “a constant of the universe has changed. Strom Thurmond is no longer with us. We mourn because this world is poorer for…”

“a constant of the universe has changed. Strom Thurmond is no longer with us. We mourn because this world is poorer for his passing, but we also know he smiles down upon us from a better, happier place. True to the creed taught him by his father, Strom always gave of himself, to his family, his beloved state of South Carolina, and to his country. He understood that the essence of leading is serving. Strom changed his times and changed with his times. Born during the administration of Theodore Roosevelt, he retired a thoroughly modern Senator. He wanted to be history's first 100-year-old Senator. Through faith and force of will, he made it. Even more happily, he wanted to see the birth of his first grandchild, and he did, just recently. Like many great persons, Strom combined changeless values with an amazing ability to adapt in a changing world. In turns, he was a liberal and a conservative; a Democrat, Independent, and Republican; a famous bachelor, widower, husband, father, and now grandfather. He came to the Senate from what they call the 'Old South,' but when I came to Congress, I saw in Strom a Senator committed to equal opportunity and inclusiveness. He was young at heart, had a sense of fun and adventure, and was always open to new ideas. This is the way Strom should be remembered, as an example of how the human spirit can grow and mature gracefully. Yet, for all the changes, Strom's constituents were reassured by a sense of his being changeless.”