WASHINGTON — Thousands of mourners — including first lady Michelle Obama — remembered and celebrated veteran Washington journalist Gwen Ifill on Saturday, recalling her as a standard bearer, cherished friend, devoted mentor and woman of abiding faith.

Ifill died Monday at 61 after a yearlong battle with cancer. “We didn't look like other anchor pairs — and we loved that,” said Judy Woodruff, half of the history-making team that became the first female co-anchors of a major news broadcast in 2013.

The two co-hosted PBS' “NewsHour.”