Rain or shine, the Texas A&M community will be saying goodbye Thursday morning to Reveille VIII.
Director of university relations Lesley Henton says a large committee from many organizations were part of the planning process.
Reveille IX will also be attending the service.
Several people will be speaking. Among them is Ryan Kreider, who was Reveille VIII’s handler when he shielded her from a SMU football player in 2014.
Thursday’s service begins at 8:30 at the north side of Kyle Field, followed by a private internment.
Click below for comments from Lesley Henton, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.
Listen to “Preview of Thursday's Reveille VIII funeral service” on Spreaker.
Additional information from Texas A&M:
Texas A&M University and the Corps of Cadets will hold a funeral service for former mascot Reveille VIII Thursday, Aug. 30 at 8:30 a.m. in The Zone Plaza of Kyle Field. The service will be open to current and former students, faculty, staff and the public.
“Our university mascot is one of the most beloved and unifying traditions at Texas A&M. I encourage Aggies and Texas A&M supporters to join in honoring Reveille VIII for her service to our institution,” Texas A&M University President Michael K. Young said. “I would also like to thank the Corps of Cadets Company E-2, the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences and the Stevenson Center for maintaining the highest standard of care for Reveille VIII throughout her time as mascot and during her retirement.”
The “First Lady of Aggieland” who served from August 2008 until her retirement to Texas A&M’s Stevenson Companion Animal Life-Care Center in May 2015, passed away Monday, June 25 at the age of 12. She will be buried alongside the previous seven Reveilles on the north side of Kyle Field.
“Reveille VIII represented Texas A&M and the Corps of Cadets with grace, dignity and class, and it is with great pride that cadets in Company E-2 will be able to honor her memory in the same manner,” Corps of Cadets Commandant Brigadier General (Ret.) Joe E. Ramirez, Jr. said. “She added immeasurable value to the Aggie experience in her eight years as mascot and will be missed dearly.”
The current Reveille is Reveille IX, who was introduced in May 2015. Each Reveille mascot since 1960 has been cared for by a Mascot Corporal, a sophomore cadet in Company E-2 of Texas A&M’s Corps of Cadets.
“Reveille VIII has a special place in the hearts of everyone in the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM),” said Dr. Eleanor M. Green, the Carl B. King Dean of Veterinary Medicine. “Our medical team cared for her as the university mascot and they continued to care for her after she retired. The Stevenson Companion Animal Life-Care Center proved to be the perfect home for Reveille, as she was showered with love and affection from the staff and all of her roommates. We join the entire Aggie Family as we honor her memory and show our love and respect for Miss Rev.”
The funeral service will impact ticket pull as it will take place on the same day that the Aggies play Northwestern State at Kyle Field at 7:30 p.m.
The 12th Man Foundation ticket windows where freshman student ticket pull will take place will be moved from the north end of Kyle Field to the east side of Kyle Field off of Houston Street. Pull begins at 7 a.m. One window on the east side will be designated for public sales on Thursday morning. The north ticket windows will reopen for public sales at 12 p.m.
Both the service and the football game will impact traffic flow around Kyle Field. Parking and road closure information for the funeral service is available on this map. Additional instructions are available on the Texas A&M Transportation Services Football Thursday website.