Nov. 12 (UPI) — The life of Jane Goodall was honored Wednesday at Washington National Cathedral where hundreds, including actor Leonardo DiCaprio and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, paid their final respects to the famed British primatologist and conservationist.
Goodall, 91, died of natural causes on Oct. 1 in Los Angeles while on a speaking tour.
The service, hosted by the Jane Goodall Institute USA, began with a 20-dog salute on the cathedral steps in honor of her favorite animal, the canine.
“The world mourns your departure, and I ask you that please touch those around the world who are as heartbroken as we are,” Goodall’s grandson, Merlin van Lawick, said during the service.
“The seeds of hope you planted have taken root in millions, and it will take millions to carry forth the mission you began. You will live on in countless hearts and your message will continue to bear fruit, sprouting from every corner of this world.”
Goodall is best known for her study of chimpanzee behavior in what is now known Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania, observing that the primates use tools — an observation that revolutionized the field of primatology and changed how humans viewed the animal.
Her work also spurred women to enter fields of science and she grew to be a powerful force in the environmental movement through her focus on habitat protection and community-centered conservation.
DiCaprio, who is also an environmentalist, eulogized Goodall during Wednesday’s service.
Calling her “my good friend,” DiCaprio said Goodall did not only change the world but many of its inhabitants.
“Jane led with hope. Always. She never lingered in despair, she focused on what could be done, she reminded us that change begins with compassion and that our humanity is our greatest tool,” he said.
Goodall was not blind to the issues of the world and could be “blunt” about the greed and overconsumption threatening the planet, but she had faith in the principles that every voice matters and that we are all connected and can make a difference.
Even into her later years, Goodall maintained an “almost unimaginable schedule” of travel and work, and “her resilience was fueled by purpose,” he said.
“Everywhere she went she carried one simple powerful message: that there is still hope and that each one of us can make a different,” he said.
She was a scientist, a storyteller, a trailblazer, but above all, she was a teacher and her legacy lives on the millions she inspired.”
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