Barbara Bush, R.I.P.

A much beloved First Lady, a tireless advocate for getting
children to begin reading good and early, and a loving
wife and mother of presidents (and a governor who also,
albeit briefly, was a presidential candidate), Barbara Bush
led an extraordinary life, in terms of longevity, experience,
and accomplishment. The matriarch to an almost-politically
dynastic family, Barbara Bush was known for her sharp wit,
her outspokenness on important issues, and her love for and
loyalty to her family.

The 92-year-old wife of President George H.W. Bush and mother
of President George W. Bush and Florida Governor Jeb Bush
was a combination of the loving, white-haired grandmother
who dotes on her grandchildren and bakes cookies for them
(and for the entire family) and an advocate for things that she
thought important for American society to have. Mrs. Bush also
accomplished something that only one other woman in American
history had been able to accomplish; being the wife of a president
and the mother of another. She would have been the first, and only
woman in our country's history to have been the mother of two
presidents if Jeb had won the 2016 Republican presidential
nomination and the general election (both of which, of course,
had been won by Donald J. Trump). But Barbara Bush was
not the least bit bothered by missing out on this distinction;
she was reported to have remarked that there had been enough
Bushes in the White House already. The lady had no dynastic
dreams or intentions, but wanted instead to have her family be
happy and successful in their endeavors, be they politics,
business, the military, or whatever else would raise interest.

After spending much of the last few years of her life in and out
of hospitals for various ailments, Barbara Bush chose to spend
her final days at home with her family, having comfort care
rather than medical care, so as not to prolong her suffering the
effects of her illness unnecessarily. She went to her Creator
just two days ago, leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter,
care, and joy for her family and for us all. Rest in Peace,
Mrs. Bush. Yours was a life well lived.



MEM