Rev. Al Sharpton to deliver eulogy at funeral for NJ Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver

TRENTON, New Jersey (WPVI) -- Rev. Al Sharpton will deliver the eulogy for New Jersey Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, who passed last week after suffering a sudden illness.

A funeral will be held on Saturday, August 12 at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark.

Oliver, 71, was the first Black woman to serve as Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly as well as the first to hold statewide elected office in the Garden State.

"Lt. Governor Oliver was a living testament to the importance of having Black women in positions of power to represent the needs and values of our community," said Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN).

SEE ALSO: NJ governor fondly remembers late lieutenant governor in public address

On Friday, Governor Phil Murphy addressed Oliver's death, calling her "the greatest partner in government."

A cause of death for Oliver has not been released, and Murphy did not provide any details during the press conference.

The governor has directed all flags to fly at half-staff until September 4 in remembrance of Oliver.

Her body with lie in state in the New Jersey State House Rotunda on Thursday.

Then on Friday, she will lie in state at the Essex County courthouse.

SEE ALSO: 3-day celebration of life planned to honor late NJ Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver

Murphy said he is obligated to make a decision on his next lieutenant governor within 45 days of Oliver's passing. Right now, he said his focus is on honoring her life.

"The decision to ask Sheila to be my running mate was the best decision I've ever made," Murphy said. "God rest her soul and God rest her legacy."

Oliver signed several bills while deputizing for Murphy.

In 2021, she signed a bill that established a pilot program to overhaul the state's juvenile justice system in four cities and that aimed to reintegrate young people into their communities. Another measure she signed in 2021 revived a defunct fund for "urban enterprise zones" aimed at driving economic development in cities through lower sales tax rates.

On Monday, Gov. Murphy announced that an official portrait of Oliver has been commissioned for display in the Statehouse.

"As we continue to remember the life and service of Lieutenant Governor Oliver, I am deeply moved to announce the commissioning of a portrait that will stand as a testament to her legacy," said Governor Murphy. "Sheila's unwavering dedication to the people of New Jersey has left an enduring mark on our state, one that will be immortalized in the halls of our State House forever."