Supreme Court justices fondly remember Antonin Scalia

At a memorial service for the late Antonin Scalia on Tuesday afternoon, his fellow Supreme Court justices remembered the man who sat beside them on the bench and helped shape the United States for nearly 30 years.

"For this I feel quite inadequate," said the famously quiet Justice Clarence Thomas, reports The Hill. "I was truly blessed to have Nino at the court when I became a member in 1991, and I was blessed many times over almost the 25 years that we served together," Clarence continued, noting the man's sharp intellect and insight. "With him, a piece of my own life is carried to the grave," he said, holding back tears.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg also recalled a particularly fond memory of her late colleague and unlikely friend. Years ago, she remembers, when Bill Clinton was pondering his first nomination for the Supreme Court, the president asked Scalia if he would prefer Laurence Tribe or Mario Cuomo as his new colleague. "Scalia answered quickly and distinctly, 'Ruth Bader Ginsberg,'" she said. "And within days the president chose me."

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Scalia, who died unexpectedly on Feb. 13, was known for his strong conservative record, and the vacancy of his seat stands to dramatically reshape the ideology of the Supreme Court.