‘Time’ to mourn Hawking
HUNDREDS OF mourners and wellwishers lined the streets of Cambridge, England, Saturday morning for the funeral of renowned physicist Stephen Hawking.
The ceremony was held at the University Church of St. Mary the Great near Gonville and Caius College, which boasts a building named for the iconic British professor.
Eddie Redmayne, who nabbed an Oscar for his portrayal of Hawking in the 2014 film “The Theory of Everything,” was one of the readers during the service and Felicity Jones — who played his wife Jane Hawking — was also present. Other guests included Elon Musk, model Lily Cole and playwright Alan Bennett.
Diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease at 21, Hawking battled back against the deadly degenerative condition to become one of the top scientific minds in the world.
He earned international acclaim following the publication of “A Brief History of Time” in 1988. His work since ranged from the origins of the universe, to time travel and the probing of black holes in outer space.
Hawking died peacefully at his Cambridge home on March 14 at 76.
Crowds of people flooding the streets cheered as the hearse pulled up to the church Saturday for the funeral service.
The ceremony included space-themed music specifically composed for Hawking called “Beyond the Night Sky.” It had been inspired by quotes in “A Brief History of Time” and sounds common in recordings from space.
Hawking’s ashes are slated to be interred in June alongside the likes of Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin in Westminster Abbey.