John McCain's 106-year-old 'strong, determined' mother Roberta McCain expected to attend memorial services for her son

John McCain and his mother, Roberta McCain
AP
Olivia Tobin30 August 2018

John McCain’s 106-year-old mother, Roberta McCain, is expected to attend memorial services for her son in Washington.

Senator McCain, who died on Saturday, is due to be buried in Maryland later this week.

The former Vietnam prisoner of war, congressman, senator and two-time presidential candidate died of brain cancer at his home in Arizona, aged 81.

His mother, Roberta, said she used to call Mr McCain ‘Johnny’ and once said her son used her as an example of “what he hopes his lifespan will be”.

John McCain and his mother, Roberta McCain
AP

Although Mrs McCain is slightly slowed following a stroke, she is expected to attend memorial for her middle child.

Mr McCain said in one of his books that his mother was “raised to be a strong, determined woman who thoroughly enjoyed life and always tried to make the most of her opportunities”.

He added: “She was encouraged to accept, graciously and with good humour, the responsibilities and sacrifices her choices have required of her. I am grateful to her for the strengths she taught me by example.”

Mrs McCain eloped, aged 20, to marry John McCain senior in Tijuana Mexico in 1933. While her husband was in the navy, she raised the family.

John McCain and his parents
AP

During Mr McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign, Mrs McCain became a prominent fixture when she was in her 90s.

Thousands of McCain supporters queued for the memorial in Phoenix, Arizona, to pay their final respects. He had represented the state in Congress since 1983.

Mr McCain’s wife led a procession of 90 mourners past his casket in the Arizona Capitol. Their daughter, Meghan, wept openly while sons Jack and Jimmy sat next to her.

Cindy McCain looks at husband John's casket at the memorial service
EPA

Arizona governor Doug Ducey, who led the ceremony, said: “He fought like hell for the causes he believed.

“But along the way he did it with humour and humanity, and without compromising the principles he held so dear."

Additional reporting by Associated Press

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