Reagan's pastor to stay home, support his church

01:42 PM CDT on Wednesday, June 9, 2004

By Jeremy Desel / 11 News

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A Houstonian who was Ronald Reagan’s personal pastor for many years will not be at the service at the National Cathedral.

He’s chosen not to go so he and his congregation in Houston can mourn together.

Reverend Donn Moomaw has counseled thousands of parishioners over the years.

For 28 years he’s ministered to the Reagan family. Officiated the marriage of daughter Patti.

“God talk was not easy for him, but the motor was big and the experience was deep,” said Rev. Moomaw.

KHOU-TV Reverend Donn Moomaw gave the prayer at Reagan's swearing in ceremony.

The Reagan family remains close.

Moomaw was on the phone today with Michael Reagan.

“They are holding up because they are holding on to each other,” said Moomaw. “We all need to be with each other in at times of passages like this.”

That makes it a tough decision. Attend the Private Internment ceremony at the Reagan Library Friday evening and attend to the Reagan family, or his family here in Houston, all mourning.

“They will be well covered ministerialy, but the people here won’t necessarily be and I want to be close to my people here,” said Moomaw.

So St. Andrews Presbyterian Church will host a viewing of the state funeral from the National Cathedral at 10:30 Friday morning.

Open to the public, immediately followed by a prayer service officiated by Moomaw.

He will lead, tell stories, like the one about meeting with Reagan at the hospital just after surgery when he was shot in 1981.

“He was like resilient steel. Pang! And he wanted to talk. And he wanted to share. He wanted to talk about the church and his faith, his assurance, his anticipation of heaven, but he didn’t want it yet because he had a whole lot to do for the people of America.”

So much now done.