Springfield, County, State Honor Sen.Specter

Springfield and townships, counties and cities around the Commonwealth of Pennslvania paid tribute to Arlen Specter Tuesday by flying flags at half staff.

Specter was honored with a funeral service attended by Vice President Joe Biden, who cancelled two campaign stops to honor his former Senate colleague.

The service was attended by a "Who's Who" of Pennsylvania (largely) Democratic politicians.  Specter served 30 years in the Senate, almost all as a Republican. He switched parties in 2009 to run as a Democrat and was defeated in the 2010 Democratic primary by former Delaware County U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak. Sestak was defeated in the November 2010 general election by Republican U.S. Senator Pat Toomey.

Read more about the tributes offered at the funeral service by Vice President Joe Bidena and others here on Springfield Patch.

Following the funeral service Specter's casket was carried to his final resting place in Huntington Valley, led by an honor guard from the Philadelphia Police Highway Patrol motorcycle unit.

See photos and read more about the funeral procession and burial here on Sprngfield Patch.