Sangamon Sun

Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is being remembered as “a public servant who dedicated his life to defending American freedoms and values.”

“Thank you for your service, Mr. Secretary,” Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said in a post to Twitter where he saluted Rumsfeld alongside a retweet of the family’s statement announcing his passing.

The 88-year-old Rumsfeld, who also once served as the Illinois 13th District congressman, died at his New Mexico home on June 29 surrounded by family.

The cause of death has been unreleased.

Family members said in a Tweet to Rumsfeld's Twitter account, “History may remember him for his extraordinary accomplishments over six decades of public service, but for those who knew him best and whose lives were forever changed as a result, we will remember his unwavering love for his wife Joyce, his family and friends and the integrity he brought to a life dedicated to country.”

Born in the Chicagoland area in 1932, Rumsfeld grew up in Winnetka and attended New Trier High School. His career in Washington began in 1957 when he served as Rep. Dave Dennison’s (R-Ohio) assistant. First elected by the age of 30, Rumsfeld served four terms as an Illinois congressman representing the state for four terms before embarking on a period when he served as secretary of defense for both former President Gerald Ford and former President George W. Bush.

In the latter role, he oversaw the response of the Pentagon following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and the U.S. invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. Rumsfeld was in the Pentagon when the 9-11 attacks took place.

“Feeling the Pentagon shake when an airplane filled with innocent people crashed into the building, I went back into the office and started the process of sorting through what would happen next,” Rumsfeld told WGN News in a video posted to YouTube.   

Rumsfeld is survived by his wife, Joyce, whom he married in 1954, as well as three children and grandchildren.