Funeral Service for Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE
Wednesday, November 12, 2025 • 11 am ET
Washington National Cathedral’s founders envisioned this Cathedral as a “great church for national purposes,” and one of the Cathedral’s core missions is to open its doors to the nation at times of joy, mourning and national significance.
We are honored to host the funeral service for world-renowned ethologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, on November 12, 2025 at 11 am ET.
The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, and The Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, Dean of Washington National Cathedral, will serve as officiants. Bishop Budde will also preach.
“Dr. Goodall’s life was a testament to the power of one person’s dedication to understanding and protecting God’s creation,” Dean Randy Hollerith said. “Her legacy of compassion for all living things and her unwavering message of hope will continue to inspire humanity for generations to come.”
For more on the announcement of the service, please see the full press release.
Watch Service
The public is invited to watch the service livestream available below and on the Cathedral’s YouTube channel. Attendance at the service is via invitation; only those with invitations issued in advance of the service will be admitted to the Cathedral.
Media Access & Inquiries
Media credentialing is now closed.
All media wishing to cover the service must request press credentials from the Cathedral in advance by filling out the request form. All requests for credentials are due by Thursday, November 6 at noon ET, and determinations for these requests will be made on Monday, November 10. The Cathedral will have a livestream of the service, and still photography, which all media are free to use with credit to Washington National Cathedral. All media inquiries should be directed to Ari Geller at: [email protected] .
Frequently Asked Questions
The public is invited to watch the livestream on this page or on the Cathedral’s YouTube channel. Attendance at the service is by invitation only.
In lieu of flowers, the public is encouraged to donate to the Jane Goodall Institute.
Washington National Cathedral’s founders envisioned this Cathedral as a “great church for national purposes,” and one of the Cathedral’s core missions is to open its doors to the nation at times of joy, mourning and national significance.
Jane Goodall was born on April 3, 1934, in London, England. At the young age of 26, she followed her passion for African wildlife to Gombe, Tanzania, where she began her landmark study of chimpanzees in the wild, immersing herself in their habitat as a neighbor rather than a distant observer. Her discovery in 1960 that chimpanzees make and use tools rocked the scientific world and redefined the relationship between humans and animals.
In 1977, she established the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) to advance her work around the world and for generations to come. JGI continues the field research at Gombe and builds on Dr. Jane’s innovative approach to conservation, which recognizes the central role that people play in the well-being of animals and the environment.
In 1991, she created Roots & Shoots, a global program that guides young people in 75 countries in becoming compassionate citizens and leaders in their daily lives. Prior to her recent passing, Dr. Goodall traveled the world nearly 300 days a year, speaking about the threats facing wildlife, environmental crises, and her reasons for hope. In her books and speeches, she emphasized the interconnectedness of all living things and the collective power of individual action. Dr. Goodall was a UN Messenger of Peace and a Dame Commander of the British Empire. Most recently, she received the United States’ Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025, for her contributions to science and tireless advocacy for our planet.
You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.
—Dr. Jane Goodall