George Marshall died of a series of strokes
It is a fact that George Marshall died of a series of strokes. Marshall died on October 16, 1959, at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., due to a series of strokes. Although he was entitled to official proceedings, Marshall wanted simplicity, thus he was given a special military burial that omitted many of the regular rituals. The ceremonies featured a 24-hour lie-in at Washington National Cathedral, guarded by representatives from each of the United States armed services and a VMI cadet.
President Eisenhower ordered that flags be flown at half-staff and was one of 200 people invited to the funeral service at Fort Myer. Former President Truman, Secretary of State Christian A. Herter, former Secretary of State Dean Acheson, former Governor W. Averell Harriman, and Generals Omar N. Bradley, Alfred M. Gruenther, and Matthew B. Ridgway were among those there. The chapel and graveside ceremonies were led by his parish priest, Franklin Moss Jr., of St. James Episcopal Church in Leesburg, with assistance from the former chief chaplain and National Cathedral Canon the Reverend Luther Miller. There was no eulogy, as Marshall had requested. Following the burial service, a 19-gun salute was fired, and a bugler played taps. A VMI cadet folded the flag that covered Marshall's casket and presented it to Mrs. Marshall.
Marshall was laid to rest alongside his first wife and her mother, Elizabeth Pendleton Coles (1849-1929), in Section 7, Grave 8198 of Arlington National Cemetery. His second wife, who died on December 18, 1978, was also buried with him. The reverse side of the marble headstone lists General Marshall's positions: "Chief of Staff United States Army, Secretary of State, President of the American Red Cross, Secretary of Defense." The five-star level is engraved on both sides of the stone.
