This week we lost a great lady. Barbara Bush was the Wife of the 41st President, the Mother of the 43rd President as well as the Mother of the 43rd Governor of the State of Florida, Jeb Bush. She passed away at 92 years of age on April 17th, 2018. She worked tirelessly for the cause of universal literacy.
Barbara Bush was born June 8, 1925, in New York City. Her father, Marvin Pierce, was the president of a magazine company that produced magazines aimed toward women such as McCall’s and Reddbook. She was athletic in her younger days, enjoying swimming, tennis and bike riding. She developed an interest in reading in her earlier life and became a passion with her.
When Barbara was 16 years old, she met George Bush at a Christmas Party. After 18 months, they became engaged. Shortly thereafter, George left to serve as a Navy Torpedo Bomber Pilot in World War II. George names three of his Bomber Planes in the fleet after Barbara. The two were married January 6, 1945.
Over the next 13 years, George and Barbara Bush had six children. These children over the years gave the Bush’s a total of 14 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren: George and Barbra’s Children are:
George W. Bush, Robin Bush, Jeb Bush, Neil Bush, Marvin Bush and Dorothy Bush
After the War ended, the Bush’s moved to Texas where George started in the oil business. Barbara raised the children while George was away on business. Sadly Robin Bush died of Leukemia at the age of three years old. In 1963, George was elected Chairman as the Harris County Chairman of the Republic Party. In 1964, George ran for United States Senator but lost.
In 1965, George was elected a United States Representative for the State of Texas. During the campaign, Barbara joined George on the various trips while raising the children. As the wife of a United States Representative, Barbara joined various charities and women’s groups.
George lost his bid for re-election in 1970. However, he was appointed by United States President Richard Nixon as an United States Ambassador at the United nations. During the Watergate Scandal, Nixon asked George to become head of the Republican Party. Barbara opposed this but George accepted the position anyway.
After the impeachment of Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford took office as the United States President. In 1974, Ford appointed George as head of the United States Liaison Office in the People’s Republic of China. The Bush family moved to China. In 1977, George was appointed the Director of the Central Intelligence Office. Back in the United States, Barbara gave speeches about her living in China as well as volunteering with Hospice.
George announced his candidacy for President of the United States in 1980. Barbara caused a stir when she supported ratification for the Equal Rights Amendment as well as pro-choice for Abortion. This placed her at odds with the Conservative Wing of the Republican Party. This was led by Ronald Reagan, who was the Governor of California. Reagan earned the Presidential Nomination and chose George as his running mate. They were elected in 1980.00
After becoming the Second Lady at the White House, her son, Neil, was diagnosed with Dyslexia. She began studying the cause of Dyslexia and began to form committees to help with Illiteracy.
In 1988, George announced his candidacy for President. Barbara began to campaign hard for her husband. She spoke before the National Party Convention. The campaign was focused on family values centering on the large Bush family. George was elected in November of 1988.
As First lady, Barbara focused on Illiteracy in the United States. She founded the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. Her children Jeb and Dorothy served on the board of the Foundation. Barbara continued to work on how to reduce the number of families that were illiterate.
In March 1989, doctors diagnosed Barbara with Graves ’ disease. From the Wikipedia Web Site:
Graves’ disease, also known as toxic diffuse goiter, is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid It frequently results in and is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It also often results in an enlarged thyroid. Signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism may include irritability, muscle weakness, sleeping problems, a fast heartbeat, poor tolerance of heat, diarrhea, and unintentional weight loss. Other symptoms may include thickening of the skin on the shins, known as pretibial myxedema, and eye bulging, a condition caused by Graves’ ophthalmopathy. About 25 to 80% of people with the condition develop eye problems.
In June of the same year, George told the press that Barba had the disease under control.
In her second Presidential Campaign, Barbara gave a speech stating that “homosexuality and abortion are a personal matter and the Republication Party should not take a stand on it.” She further stated that she could not have an abortion but it wasn’t right for her to be able to tell someone else what to do about it.
After George completed his term as President, the couple moved to Houston, Texas. Barbara tried to talk her son George for running for Governor of Texas. However he did not listen and won the position. George W. Bush declared his candidacy for President of the United States in June of 1999. Barbara joined the campaign, visiting several places for her son. George W Bush was elected the 43rd President of the United States.
Barbara suffered from Congestive Heart Failure as well as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. She had been a heavy smoker in her youth but she quit in 1968
In November of 2008, she underwent Small Intestine Surgery. In March of 2009 she had Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery. In 2013, she was hospitalized for Pneumonia.
In April 2018, it was released that she had decided to no longer seek further medical treatment. She wished to be at home with friends and family. Sadly, Barbara Bush passed away on April 17, 2018. She was 92 years old.
George W. Bush tweeted “”My dear mother has passed on at age 92. Laura, Barbara, Jenna, and I are sad, but our souls are settled because we know hers was. I’m a lucky man that Barbara Bush was my mother. Our family will miss her dearly, and we thank you all for your prayers and good wishes.”
Rest In Peace First Lady Barbara Bush
Bobby Inman is retired from Law Enforcement after 21 years of Service. He is the Store Manager of Southern Heritage Gun & Pawn in Tuscumbia. He has articles published in Law & Order Magazine, Police Marksman Magazine, Guns & Weapons for Law Enforcement Magazine as well as several published ebooks on Amazon, Kobo Writing, as well as Nook (Barnes & Noble). He is owner of Poopiedog, an Animal Rescue Dachshund, who is his constant companion. He is a Senior Investigative Reporter for the Quad Cities Daily. 
