Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Wednesday 18 april 2018
Former first lady Barbara Bush dies at age 92

By MICHAEL GRACZYK not try to influence her hus-
HOUSTON (AP) — Barbara band's politics.
Bush, the snowy-haired first "I don't fool around with his
lady whose plainspoken office," she said, "and he
manner and utter lack of doesn't fool around with
pretense made her more my household."
popular at times than her In 1984, her quick wit got
husband, President George her into trouble when she
H.W. Bush, died Tuesday, a was quoted as referring
family spokesman said. She to Geraldine Ferraro, the
was 92. Democratic vice presiden-
Mrs. Bush brought a grand- tial nominee, as "that $4
motherly style to buttoned- million — I can't say it, but it
down Washington, often rhymes with rich."
appearing in her trademark "It was dumb of me. I
fake pearl chokers and dis- shouldn't have said it,"
playing no vanity about her Mrs. Bush acknowledged
white hair and wrinkles. in 1988. "It was not attrac-
"What you see with me tive, and I've been very
is what you get. I'm not shamed. I apologized to
running for president — Mrs. Ferraro, and I would
George Bush is," she said at apologize again."
the 1988 Republican Na- Daughter-in-law Laura
tional Convention, where In this 1990 file photo, first lady Barbara Bush poses with her dog Millie in Washington. Bush, wife of the 43rd presi-
her husband, then vice Associated Press dent, said Mrs. Bush was "fe-
president, was nominated day. "Barbara Bush was a and oilman's wife could be that her bright white hair rociously tart-tongued."
to succeed Ronald Rea- "She's never shied away
gan. fabulous First Lady and a caustic in private, but her and pale features also im- from saying what she thinks.
woman unlike any other public image was that of a parted a resemblance to
The Bushes, who were ... She's managed to insult
married Jan. 6, 1945, had who brought levity, love, self-sacrificing, supportive George Washington. nearly all of my friends with
and literacy to millions. To spouse who referred to her Eight years after leaving the
the longest marriage of one or another perfectly
any presidential couple in us, she was so much more. husband as her "hero." nation's capital, Mrs. Bush timed acerbic comment,"
Mom kept us on our toes In the White House, "you stood with her husband as
American history. And Mrs. Laura Bush wrote in her
Bush was one of only two and kept us laughing until need a friend, someone their son George W. was 2010 book, "Spoken from
the end. I'm a lucky man who loves you, who's going sworn in as president. They
first ladies who had a child the Heart."
who was elected president. that Barbara Bush was my to say, 'You are great,'" Mrs. returned four years later In her 1994 autobiography,
when he won a second
mother. Our family will miss Bush said in a 1992 televi-
The other was Abigail Ad- "Barbara Bush: A Memoir,"
ams, wife of John Adams her dearly, and we thank sion interview. term. Unlike Mrs. Bush, Abi- Mrs. Bush said she did her
you all for your prayers and Her uncoiffed, matronly ap-
gail Adams did not live to
and mother of John Quincy best to keep her opinions
pearance often provoked see her son's inauguration.
Adams. good wishes." arrangements jokes that she looked more She died in 1818, six years from the public while her
Funeral
"I had the best job in Amer- husband was in office. But
ica," she wrote in a 1994 weren't immediately re- like the boyish president's before John Quincy Adams she revealed that she dis-
leased.
mother than his wife. Late-
was elected.
memoir describing her time agreed with him on two is-
in the White House. "Every The publisher's daughter night comedians quipped Mrs. Bush insisted she did sues: She supported legal
single day was interesting, abortion and opposed the
rewarding, and sometimes sale of assault weapons.
just plain fun." "I honestly felt, and still feel,
On Sunday, family spokes- the elected person's opin-
man Jim McGrath said ion is the one the public has
the former first lady had the right to know," Mrs. Bush
decided to decline fur- wrote. She also disclosed
ther medical treatment for a bout with depression
health problems and focus in the mid-1970s, saying
instead on "comfort care" she sometimes feared she
at home in Houston. She would deliberately crash
had been in the hospital re- her car. She blamed hor-
cently for congestive heart monal changes and stress.
failure and chronic obstruc- "Night after night, George
tive pulmonary disease. In held me weeping in his
2009, she had heart valve arms while I tried to explain
replacement surgery and my feelings," she wrote.
had a long history of treat- "I almost wonder why he
ment for Graves' disease, a didn't leave me."
thyroid condition. She said she snapped out
"My dear mother has of it in a few months.
passed on at age 92. Lau- Mrs. Bush raised five chil-
ra, Barbara, Jenna, and I dren: George W., Jeb, Neil,
are sad, but our souls are In this March 8, 2017, file photo, the Mensch International Foundation presented its annual Mensch Marvin and Dorothy. A sixth
settled because we know Award to former U.S. President George H.W. Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush at an awards child, 3-year-old daughter
hers was," George W. Bush ceremony hosted by Congregation Beth Israel in Houston. Robin, died of leukemia in
said in a statement Tues- Associated Press 1953.q