Rachel Hodges: behind the scenes in D.C.

Chris Pepple | 

Rachel Hodges (’96) can say that she witnessed modern U. S. history from a unique perspective. Through her previous position as director of special events for Dennis Hastert, the 59th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Hodges not only viewed the events that took place in the U. S. Capitol rotunda, but she also assisted in planning them. For eight years, she knew what images would be imprinted on the minds of Americans as we honored heroes and buried past Presidents.

Hodges worked with the Ford family representatives to plan portions of the State Funeral ceremony for former President Gerald Ford. On December 30, 2006, an unprecedented historical tribute took place to honor President Fords’ distinction as the President who served the longest in the House of Representatives. His casket was carried up the east House steps and placed in repose outside of the House Chamber. As the doors were opened, the House Chamber was lit to pay tribute to his service. The casket was then carried to the rotunda to lie in state. Americans watched the four Ford children file past the casket in the Capitol’s rotunda. Betty Ford stopped to kneel. Hodges saw their grief.

“Gerald Ford died on the day after Christmas, so we had to switch gears quickly from our holiday thoughts to planning a State Funeral. Betty Ford is a very genuine person and helped make our jobs as planners easier. I worked with planning all of the events that took place in the Capitol. The Ford family requested that the services be as simple as possible. Later Mrs. Ford made it a point to thank me personally for all that I did. She was very sincere,” said Hodges.

In 2004, Hodges stood in the rotunda preparing for the State Funeral for former President Ronald Reagan. At 6:00 pm on June 9, 2004, the formal procession to the U. S. Capitol began for the Reagan family. The horse-drawn caisson arrived at Capitol Hill amidst a 21-gun salute. Two teams of military body bearers carried the coffin up the steps of the Capitol as Battle Hymn of the Republic played nearby. They climbed the west steps to honor the place where Reagan was first inaugurated. The coffin was put in place to face west toward California.

“Nancy Reagan is truly a first lady in every sense of the term. She was very gracious and appreciative of all of our work behind the scenes. She was also very organized and knew how the family wanted the events to proceed. She articulated her requests well. I witnessed a very touching moment in her life. I remember standing in the rotunda before the casket was to be transported to the National Cathedral. The room had been cleared and Nancy Reagan went into the rotunda alone. She stood for a moment, then bent over and gently kissed the flag-draped casket. She was saying her personal good-byes to her husband,” said Hodges.

Not all moments associated with the State Funeral were peaceful, however. Ninety minutes before Reagan’s casket arrived at Andrews Air Force Base, the Capitol building had to be evacuated. “That was very hectic. It reminds you that crazy stuff can happen at any minute. There were no alternative plans for the events we had scheduled. It turns out that we could re-enter the building fairly quickly. A plane carrying Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher was off course and flew into restricted airspace. Radio problems on the plane created a few tense moments, but in the end no funeral events were affected,” Hodges said as she thought back over the many fast-paced days she spent in Washington.


Vice President Dick Cheney delivers the eulogy for former President Gerald R. Ford during the State Funeral ceremony in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.

Former First Lady Betty Ford kneels at the casket of her husband, former President Gerald R. Ford, in the Capitol Rotunda.

President George W. Bush and Laura Bush pay their final respects at the casket containing the body of former President Ronald Reagan in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.

President George W. Bush presents medals to Navajo Code Talkers during a ceremony honoring their military service.

When she became Congressman Ed Bryant’s first intern in Washington in 1995, she knew she wanted to start her career there. The long days and fast-paced lifestyle did not discourage her at all. She moved from an internship into the job of scheduler for Congressman Van Hilleary, yet she still needed to finish her senior year at Lipscomb. She used creative scheduling to complete both her class work in Nashville and her job responsibilities in Washington, D.C. In 1998, she worked as the special events coordinator for House Speaker Newt Gingrich. In January 1999, she assumed her responsibilities as director of special events for Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert.

Hodges quickly taught herself the ins and outs of official protocol. She had to make decisions quickly and had no room for mistakes when she planned Congressional events involving national and international dignitaries. Her job brought her face to face with people who played a role in defining our world as we know it today. She warmly remembers the individuals who came to the Capitol to be given the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal.

“The service to honor Nelson Mandela was the first time I had played a part in planning the ceremony for the awarding of the Gold Medal.  He was a delight to meet. At one point, he asked me if I was Miss America. He was the first African to be honored with this award. I remember the moment he was handed the medal in the rotunda of the Capitol. He was surrounded by leading political figures from the United States and South Africa. He thanked Congress for the award and reminded everyone present about the common humanity that binds us,” commented Hodges.

Hodges watched as Rosa Parks received a standing ovation during her June 15, 1999, ceremony where she was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. The medal was given in recognition of her contributions to the nation as the “first lady of civil rights.” Her quiet dignity touched the nation as she used her courage and determination to change our world. As Parks accepted the Gold Medal, over 650 people gathered in the rotunda with events moving along smoothly as Hodges had hoped.

“I was honored to be a part of the Congressional proceedings during this time. I came face to face with people who changed history, and I saw history being made. It was exciting to see the original Navajo Code Talkers honored with Congressional Gold Medals in 2001. There was a standing-room only audience as four of the five living original members entered the rotunda in their native dress. Family members of the other original 29 Navajo Code Talkers were present for the ceremony,” reflected Hodges. The Navajo Code Talkers served in the Marines from 1942 until 1945. This group transmitted information regarding tactics, troop movements, orders and other battlefield information through telegraphs and radios in their native dialect. Historians have said that if it was not for the Navajo Code Talker's, the Marines would have never taken Iwo Jima.

Since leaving the D.C. area, Hodges has worked for O’More College of Design in Franklin, Tenn. She will be leaving there to plan her wedding to David Wall and their upcoming move to Memphis, Tenn., where she will work for Pitt and Barbara Hyde through Pittco and the Hyde Family Foundation. Pittco is a management company that provides investment, accounting and tax services to for-profit and nonprofit entities. The Hyde Family Foundation consists of the J.R. Hyde Sr. Foundation of which Pitt Hyde is president, and the J.R. Hyde III Foundation, of which Barbara Hyde is president.

“I’m looking forward to starting a new phase of my life,” admits Hodges. “I will miss the excitement of the moment as events are unfolding in Washington. I will also miss the people who I worked with who helped make all of these events happen. It was an incredible experience for me. It was both challenging and rewarding to plan national events and work with leaders such as Tony Blair or Presidents Bush and Clinton. I will miss Denny and Jean Hastert. They were wonderful to work and travel with. I definitely won’t miss the hectic pace or the long hours. My work was worth the sacrifices, though.”