Paterno's family had reportedly rebuffed efforts by university president Rodney Erickson and a handful of others to mend fences after the coach's curt dismissal, which a member of the board of trustees delivered by phone Nov. 9. That changed to some degree Monday. When the Paternos sought to hold funeral and memorial services on campus, university officials worked with them on arrangements, sources close to the trustees said.
"Joe Paterno loved and supported Penn State to his last breath," family spokesman Dan McGinn said. "The family wanted the involvement of the university in every way appropriate."
According to the schedule released Monday, the first public viewing of Paterno's body will be for 10 hours starting Tuesday afternoon at the Frank and Sylvia Pasquerilla Spiritual Center, an all-faiths facility on campus to which the coach and his wife donated $1 million. The center typically does not allow viewings, but an exception was made at the family's request.
A second, four-hour viewing will follow Wednesday morning before a private funeral at 2 p.m. in the Pasquerilla center. The funeral motorcade will leave the center around 3 and pass the university library wing funded by Joe and Susan Paterno as well as Beaver Stadium before traveling along College Avenue in the center of town. Burial will be private.
The Paterno family also plans to hold a larger public memorial Thursday at the university's Bryce Jordan Center. School officials expect the nearly 15,000 seats to be filled.
University officials said Monday that Penn State would have no official role in the ceremonies but would provide facilities, transportation, and security support. The trustees plan to hold their own ceremony honoring Paterno at a later date, they said.
