Menino funeral draws former president, pro athletes in Boston

BOSTON -- A private funeral for former Boston Mayor Thomas Menino is underway at his neighborhood church, with hundreds of dignitaries and prominent Bostonians in attendance.

Among them are former President Bill Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, ex-Celtics great Bill Russell, former Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez and Red Sox slugger David Ortiz.

The funeral Mass is taking place at Most Precious Blood Church in Hyde Park, where Menino was baptized and served as an altar boy.

Mayor Martin Walsh was expected to speak, as well as Menino's grandchildren.

Earlier Monday, a funeral procession took the city's longest-serving mayor on one last tour of Boston. The 71-year-old Menino died Thursday after being diagnosed with cancer in February.

CBS Boston reports that nine pallbearers from the Boston Police special operations unit carried Menino's casket out of Faneuil Hall at 10:50 a.m. just before church bells across Boston rang 71 times - one for each year of his life - to honor the former mayor as he made his final ride through the city to Most Precious Blood Parish in Hyde Park for the funeral mass.

CBS Boston reports that Governor Deval Patrick told several humorous stories, including one of how he met Menino in 2006, looking for the mayor's support in his first race for governor and how Menino said "no" because he was supporting someone else.

After the two talked for an hour, Patrick said Menino told him, "I can't be with you, but I won't hurt you."

Patrick also said Menino sent him a gift in the hospital after the governor had hip surgery. It included a soccer ball, jump rope and a note saying "quit faking it and get out of bed."