Mayor Menino gets a last tour of Boston in funeral cortege

BOSTON, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Bostonians held signs that said "Thank you Mayor Menino" as the body of the city's longest-serving mayor was taken on a final tour.

The funeral cortege began at Faneuil Hall, where Thomas Menino had been lying in state. It passed by 10 places of special significance to the mayor on its way to the Most Precious Blood Church in Hyde Park, the neighborhood where Menino was born and grew up.

At Fenway Park, mourners held Red Sox caps as the funeral procession circled the stadium. City Hall was decked out with a large banner bearing Menino's portrait and large TV screens were set up in City Hall Plaza for those who wanted to view the funeral service.

Menino, 71, died Thursday of cancer. He left office in January.

Menino's widow, Angela, was escorted out of Faneuil Hall by President Bill Clinton. Cardinal Sean O'Malley led the funeral mass with speakers including Mayor Martin Walsh, Menino's successor, and Gov. Deval Patrick.

"Tom Menino, thank you for being my friend, for making time for the meek as well as the mighty and for the exceptional example you gave for public service," Patrick said.

Thousands of people came to Faneuil Hall on Sunday to honor Menino as he lay in state in one of Boston's most historic buildings. They waited outside in freezing rain.

The mourners included Menino's successor, Mayor Martin Walsh, and Secretary of State John Kerry, a former Massachusetts senator. Kerry, talking to reporters outside, said Menino was always willing to give him advice.

"More than once. Tom never spared advice. Tommy would always make you focus on what was important," Kerry said. "He had great advice about campaigning. The bottom line was Tom always reminded you it was all about the people. Don't make it personal, make it about the people."

Menino, Boston's first Italian-American mayor, was president of the city council in 1993 when Mayor Ray Flynn left to become U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, making him acting mayor. He ran for the first of five full terms that fall.