Hyde's humor, bipartisanship lauded at his funeral

The tribues to longtime Congressman Henry Hyde were plentiful at his funeral mass today in St. Charles. The eulogies hit on Hyde's sense of humor and his bipartisan spirit.

His son, Bob Hyde, said Rep. Hyde taught his children to never take themselves too seriously. Henry Hyde told his children the story of a basketball game when he had to decline the coach’s offer of playing time because he had leant his shorts to a starter on the team and had nothing but underwear on beneath his warm-ups.

“Whenever I hear someone say ‘He would give the shirt off his back’ I smile and think about that,” Bob Hyde said.

Please read on for Hunter's comments. (excerpt...see http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2007/12/hydes-humor-bip.html)