Kurt's Historic Sites
Dwight David Eisenhower
| Cause of Death | Age | Burial Location | President Grave # |
| Heart failure | 78 | Abilene, Kansas | 35th in my collection |
Eisenhower is interred in the Place Resting eternally by the president's side
of Meditation on the grounds of his his wife Mamie and son Doud, who died at
presidential center. age three of scarlet fever. Excerpts from
several of Eisenhower's speeches are
inscribed on the surrounding walls.
several of Eisenhower's speeches are
inscribed on the surrounding walls.
After some goading from my father, The plaque beside Eisenhower's wooden
I disregarded the security camera grave marker.
and climbed over the fence in order
to get closer to Ike's burial site.
*** Interesting Facts ***
* Originally named David Eisenhower, the future president's mother disliked the thought that her baby was named after his father, who had failed in numerous aspects of business. Taking the name from a well-liked preacher, Ida Eisenhower made began calling her son Dwight and made David his middle name. Soon, everyone followed suit.
* Throughout his time at West Point, Ike was known for his practical jokes and rambunctious antics. One such antic occurred early in Eisenhower's military career: Private Eisenhower and a close comrade were ordered by a barely superior corporal to present themselves to him while wearing their dress coats. Figuring that they might as well get a good laugh out of the situation, the pair presented themselves to the corporal as ordered, wearing their dress coats. However, that was all they were wearing. Their dress coats only covered their torsos, so it was clearly visible that the two were nude from the waist down.
* Ike was one of only five people in the history of the United States to be a 5-star General of the Army. The other four were George Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Henry Arnold, and Omar Bradley. For a short period of time, Eisenhower was the president with the highest military ranking, as the position of 5-star general had only been around since 1944. Both George Washington and Ulysses Grant were surpassed by the World War II Generals of the Army. In 1976, the year of the bicentennial, President Ford posthumously awarded George Washington the rank of General of the Armies of the United States, making him the highest ranking officer in the history of America.
* Eisenhower's grandson, David Eisenhower, married Julie Nixon, the daughter of Eisenhower's vice president. David is the namesake of Camp David, the renowned presidential retreat.
* A very religious person, President Eisenhower was a big supporter of the addition of the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance. He was also instrumental in adopting America's motto, "In God we trust."
First Lady: Mamie Geneva Doud Eisenhower
- Spouse: Mamie Geneva Doud Eisenhower (1896-1979)
Political Party: Republican Party
Vice President: Richard Milhous Nixon
Last Words: "I've always loved my wife, my children, and my grandchildren, and I've always loved my country. I want to go. God take me."
