By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
RUSSELL —As a testament to the wide swath of lives he touched throughout his life, area residents and national leaders filled the St. Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Russell Saturday morning to remember Sen. Bob Dole.
Attending the service was a true cross-section of Americans, including a mix of area and national politicians, alongside locals who knew Dole — the politician and the man.
As the steady stream of people moved into the church, many paused by the casket placed directly in front of the entryway. Some said goodbye to a friend for the last time. Some took in the spectacle and history of it all. But all paid last respects to the man who never forgot where he came from.
Dole's admiration for his hometown and western Kansas was on full display as Dole was eulogized.
"As we gather here, today, we come together to salute our state's most favorite of favorite sons in the greatest of the greatest generation," said Gov. Laura Kelly, "and we pause to reflect with immense gratitude on all that Bob Dole's life meant to Kansas and to Kansans, to our nation and to the world."
Sen. Jerry Moran, along with recounting his admiration for Dole, shared how growing up in Russell shaped his life and career.
"Though a national leader, he would always be the son of the Kansas plains," he said. "This is what Bob Dole said, 'The first thing you learn on the prairie is the relative size of a man compared to the lay of the land and under the immense sky where I was born and raised a man is very small. And if he thinks otherwise, he's wrong.'"
Former Sen. Pat Roberts said life on the prairie was always an influence on Dole.
"You can get an education on the farm or in a factory, in a science lab, in a church pew, most of all, if you're from Russell — and I would add Kansas, America – you can get an education just by looking at life around you," Roberts said.
And Sen. Roger Marshall said Dole shared with him, early in his political career while facing a difficult vote, that the answer could always be found by going home.
"Senator Dole looked at me and said, 'Roger, just go back to Kansas, the people of Kansas will tell you the answer to all your tough votes,' " Marshall said.
Dole frequently cited his hometown sensibilities as a path toward effective leadership and valued compromise, a trait often missing in today's political landscape.
While speaking of Dole's legacy and service, Moran noted that desire to work together for the better good championed by Dole is often missing today.
"There's something about small towns where we still get along and get along well enough to solve our problems," he said. "Less so but unfortunately, in the nation's capital. We respect our neighbors, we see them in the grocery store, we see the football game on Friday night, and if we fought among ourselves all the time like sometimes national politics exists today, our towns will be a thing of the past."
Moran said Dole set the highest example of servant leadership by keeping local connections and understanding the people the way Dole did.
"I hope those days are not past, in which the connection between elected officials and the people they represent are about what we have done to make their lives better," Moran said.
Kelly said she hopes Dole's example can be a guide to leaders now and in the future.
"In his last letter to the American people published this week, Dole wrote, 'Americans never achieved greatness when Republicans and Democrats simply managed to work together or tolerate each other,' " she said. " 'We have overcome our biggest challenges only we focused on our shared values, and experiences, these common ties form much stronger bonds than political parties.' "
