William H. Frist: “last Saturday, in the wake of one terrible loss, our Nation suffered another loss, a quiet loss but one that was also…”

“last Saturday, in the wake of one terrible loss, our Nation suffered another loss, a quiet loss but one that was also deeply felt across the land. We learned that William H. Rehnquist, the 16th Chief Justice of the United States, had passed away. Karen and I and the entire Senate family extend our deepest sympathies to his family and to his friends. Our Nation mourns the loss of a great leader. William Rehnquist was an American hero--a World War II veteran, a lifelong public servant, a brilliant legal mind, and a jurist of historic consequence. He was an inspiration to all who knew him. This was especially true in his final months as he stoically fought the cancer that would eventually claim his life. Since October 2004, when the Chief Justice announced he had thyroid cancer, his chin remained up and his mind focused and devoted. Today, that optimism, that determination, that strength of spirit in purpose remain an encouragement to us all. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to get to know William Rehnquist during my tenure in the Senate. I am honored to call him a friend. But even more, perhaps the most one can say of any leader, I simply feel blessed to have lived in his time and in the country that so benefited from his wisdom. William Rehnquist was born on October 1, 1924, in Milwaukee, WI.…”