Barbara Pierce Bush

Barbara Pierce Bush was an American first lady and literacy advocate who served as the First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993 during the presidency of her husband, George H. W. Bush. The second woman to be both the wife and mother of a U.S. president, she was known for her forthright personality, advocacy for family literacy, and her work with numerous charitable causes. Her public image was defined by her signature pearls and white hair, as well as her dedication to volunteerism.

Early life and education

She was born in the Flushing neighborhood of New York City to Marvin Pierce, a publisher of *McCall's* magazine, and Pauline Robinson Pierce. She spent her childhood in Rye, New York, and attended Rye Country Day School before boarding at the Ashley Hall school in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1943, she began studies at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, but left before graduating after becoming engaged during World War II.

Marriage and family

She met her future husband, George H. W. Bush, then a Naval Reserve aviator, at a Christmas dance in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1941. They married on January 6, 1945, at the First Presbyterian Church in Greenwich while he was on leave from the Navy. The couple had six children: future presidents George W. Bush and Jeb Bush, Pauline Robinson "Robin" (who died of leukemia in 1953), Neil Bush, Marvin, and Dorothy. Her family life was deeply affected by Robin's death, an event that profoundly shaped her perspective and empathy.

Public life and advocacy

As the wife of the Vice President of the United States from 1981 to 1989, she supported her husband's work alongside Ronald Reagan and began focusing on literacy causes. Upon becoming First Lady of the United States, she championed the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, which she founded in 1989. She frequently visited programs like Head Start and promoted reading through events at the Library of Congress and the White House. She also worked with organizations helping those with HIV/AIDS, including Martha's Table and the Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C.. Her keynote address at the 1990 Wellesley College commencement sparked national discussion about women's roles.

Later life and death

After leaving the White House in 1993, she and her husband retired to Houston, Texas, and spent summers at the Bush compound in Kennebunkport, Maine. She remained active with her literacy foundation and published her memoirs, as well as several books about her English Springer Spaniel, Millie. In her final years, she dealt with COPD and congestive heart failure. She died on April 17, 2018, at her home in Houston; her funeral was held at St. Martin's Episcopal Church with eulogies by her son, historian Jon Meacham, and others.

Legacy and honors

Her legacy is anchored in her decades-long crusade for family literacy, with the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy continuing its national work. She received numerous honors, including the Jefferson Award for Public Service and the Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism. Several institutions bear her name, including the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at the Maine Medical Center and the Barbara Bush Elementary School in Houston, Texas. She is interred at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, alongside her daughter Robin and her husband.

Category:American first ladies Category:Bush family Category:Literacy advocates