A memorial service was held for Chief Justice William Rehnquist in the Upper Great Hall of the U.S. Supreme Court. He served as an associate justice from 1971 to 1986 and as chief justice from 1986 to 2005. His life and career were praised by speakers, including the U.S. Solicitor General, his son, and a number of his former staff members and clerks. William Rehnquist died in September 2005 from cancer.