5 moments commemorating Barbara Bush
Countless people have spoken and written about former first lady Barbara Bush following her death on Tuesday, pausing to reflect on how she touched their lives and served her country.
A funeral for Bush, who served as first lady during the presidency of her husband, George H.W. Bush, was held on Saturday afternoon at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas.
According to reports, about 1,500 guests attended the private funeral at the church she and her husband attended for decades.
The event was full of speeches honoring Bush and remembering her life as an advocate, mother, wife and first lady. {mosads}
Here are five moments from this week that commemorated Barbara Bush after her passing:
George H.W. Bush wore his “book socks” for his late wife
Former President George H.W. Bush wore what he calls his “book socks” to his wife’s funeral to commemorate her longtime commitment to improving literacy in America.
The former first lady made literacy her cause as second lady during the Ronald Reagan presidency and continued to work on the cause as first lady. She founded the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy in 1989 and continued to be an advocate for literacy until her death.
The socks worn by the 41st President of the United States of America at today’s funeral for former First Lady Barbara Bush. pic.twitter.com/12libHt1Jv
— Jim McGrath (@jgm41) April 21, 2018
Bush’s Secret Service detail stood by her casket
Secret Service agents that had been part of Barbara Bush’s detail for years stood by her casket during her public viewing on Friday. The agents will remain with her until her burial on Saturday, according to reports.
Powerful. US Secret Service detail stands at the casket of former First Lady Barbara Bush. Agents have been with her for years and will remain until burial. #BarbaraBush pic.twitter.com/9ZkeNbP2XE
— Kelly O’Donnell (@KellyO) April 20, 2018
Jeb Bush gave eulogy remembering mother as a ‘teacher’ and ‘role model’
Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor and son of Barbara Bush, was one of the three people that gave a eulogy during his mother’s funeral.
“Barbara Bush filled our lives with laughter and joy, and in the case of her family, she was our teacher, our role model on how to live of life with purpose and meaning,” Jeb Bush said.
He said that people loved and admired his mother because she was authentic. He also shared his last conversation with her.
“The last time I was with her I asked her about dying. Was she ready to go, was she sad. Without missing a beat she said, ‘Jeb, I believe in Jesus and he is my savior. I don’t want to leave your dad, but I know I will be in a beautiful place,’ ” Jeb Bush said.
Four former presidents attended along with three former first ladies and Melania Trump
Barbara Bush’s funeral brought back together every living former president and first lady except Jimmy Carter, who was unable to attend due to scheduled traveling and Rosalynn Carter, who was recovering from surgery.
The Obamas, Clintons and first lady Melania Trump joined the Bush family at the funeral. President Trump did not attend because he did not want to disturb the service with the extra protection he would have required.
First lady Melania Trump sits beside the Clintons and Obamas, attending the funeral of former first lady Barbara Bush. https://t.co/T1BBS919OV pic.twitter.com/KowJqHXK0a
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) April 21, 2018
Bono thanked and honored Barbara Bush’s AIDS work
U2 frontman Bono said during a conversation with former President George W. Bush on Thursday that Barbara Bush helped ease the stigma tied to AIDS, according to CNN.
“It was so powerful when your mother, Barbara Bush, hugged that child and then hugged the man that challenged her, the older adult AIDS sufferer,” Bono told Bush. “Because stigma, in the domestic AIDS problem here in the United States, stigma was a killer.”
“You were born of an AIDS activist sir. And you became one,” Bono told Bush, who would work to fight AIDS in Africa during his presidency.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed..