https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/01/politics/george-h-w-bush-dead/index.html
Sad, but what an amazing life he led!
I didn’t realize he had become a naval pilot at age 18 in WW II. I knew he’d been a pilot in the war, but not how young he was.
I read an autobiography of him years ago and was so touched by his recounting his daughter Robin’s life. He said something like, “she will always be an important part of our life”. It was so sad.
It seems they were such a close knit family, I’m glad he and Mrs. Bush had a long life together.
A great man and a great family. I was privileged to have met him in Dallas. He was a true servant.
A man who was committed to public service and decency. RIP.
I didn’t always agree with him politically but he was an honorable man and a good person. RIP.
I love the code word used to announce his passing to family and close friends. CAVU, an acronym used by pilots meaning “Ceiling And Visibility Unlimited”.
He came to my campus to campaign in 1992 a week before the election and I took my kids (3rd grade and kindergarten) out of school to spend the day on campus with me. After the rally was over, he went to our local television station for an interview and then returned to board Marine One in an open space on our campus lawn. Campus was mostly deserted at that point and my kids loved seeing him return in a limousine and board the helicopter. They didn’t have to peer over a large crowd at that point as we did earlier in the day. I have fond memories of that day and of a good man who showed that kindness, respect and class can be important elements of political leadership.
Watching the coverage. Without getting political, what a different tone than today. Imagine Dems and Repubs, libs and conservatives coming together to celebrate anything. We NEED to get back to civility. Certainly spirited debate is welcome and necessary, but lets get back to keeping it about the issues. If you were just growing up today, it’d be hard to believe the Ted Kennedy and Orin Hatch were best friends!
Speaking of Robin, the artist who created the touching cartoon of Barbara greeting Robin in heaven has now created a bookend cartoon for President Bush. Choked. Up.
https://abc13.com/society/we-waited-for-you-cartoon-reunites-bush-family-in-heaven/4805633/
I hope he and his beloved wife Barbara are now together, sipping cocktails on some heavenly veranda overlooking a harbor sunset. RIP George H. W. Bush. You were a servant to your country and truly put America first.
@abasket , I love that! Thanks. I was reading articles when Barbara died and was moved when I read something about when she was very sick in the hospital. George was just sitting next to her. She looked at him and said something like “ George, you are just devastatingly handsome.”
If you read “Flyboys” by James Bradley (author of Flags of Our Fathers), his squadron was shot down, and by sheer luck he was rescued within 15 minutes. The rest of the squadron was captured by the Japanese and suffered incredible atrocities I will not mention here. Incredibly lucky, George Bush was. How history could have been very different…
RIP.
I was on a tour bus in Ogungit, Maine, showing my visiting family around. The bus driver said, “If you look over there, you will see George HW Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev.” I thought to myself, “He must think that tourists are awfully gullible!” I looked, anyway, and there they were! They were going into a local restaurant, Barnacle Billy’s. I was surprised that there weren’t crowds of people following them. We jumped off the bus and headed in after them. They were on an outdoor deck, and we were seated just a few tables away from them. Gorbachev was wearing a red, white, and blue track suit! It was very cool. When they left, they shook hands with a lot of people, but I couldn’t position myself quickly enough to be one of them. I will never forget that experience!
What a moving funeral! Just beautiful.
Episcopalians do funerals really well.
I agree - it was deeply moving. The eulogies were exceptional. I wasn’t a Bush supporter, but I’ve been inspired today to order Jon Meacham’s biography (and I imagine I’m far from the only one).