HOUSTON — President George H.W. Bush is back in his adopted home state of Texas, where he was eulogized as "one of our nation's finest presidents."

Former Secretary of State James Baker delivered the first eulogy of the 41st president's Texas funeral Wednesday morning, taking place at St. Martin's Episcopal Church.

The close friend of Bush called his relationship with Bush as a "big brother and little brother." Baker said Baker was "beyond any doubt, our nation's very best one-term president."

Bush's grandson, Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, also spoke.

Mourners lined up at the church to pay their final respects to the man who gave a lifetime of service to his country and spent a dozen years in the White House, first as vice president and then as president.

He died at the age of 94 on Friday.

On Wednesday, former and current world leaders said goodbye in an emotional state funeral at the Washington National Cathedral. Three living presidents and President Donald Trump looked on as Bush's son, former President George W. Bush eulogized his father as "the brightest of a thousand points of light."

Former Republican Wyoming U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson, who called Bush, "the most decent and honorable person I ever met was my friend, George Bush. One of nature's noble men."

The younger Bush said: "Through our tears, let us know the blessings of knowing and loving you. A great and noble man.  The best father, a son or daughter could have. And in our grief, let us smile knowing that Dad is hugging Robin and holding Mom's hand again," the former president said.

After the Houston funeral service, a train will carry Bush's body will be taken on a more than two-hour train ride from Spring to College Station, Texas, where he will be interred at the at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library at Texas A&M University. He'll be laid to rest alongside his wife, Barbara, and their late daughter, Robin.

CNN and the Associated Press contributed to this story.

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