Barbara Pierce Bush

Barbara Pierce Bush was the wife of George H.W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States, and served as the First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993. She was known for her work in literacy promotion and her support for the National Literacy Directory, the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Born in New York City, she grew up in Rye, New York, and attended Rye Country Day School and Ashley Hall in Charleston, South Carolina. She was a descendant of Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States, and was related to George Washington and Theodore Roosevelt.

● Early Life and Education

Barbara Pierce Bush was born to Marvin Pierce and Pauline Robinson Pierce in New York City, and spent her childhood in Rye, New York, where she attended Rye Country Day School. She later attended Ashley Hall in Charleston, South Carolina, and was an avid tennis player and swimmer. She met her future husband, George H.W. Bush, at a Christmas dance in 1941 at the Round Hill Country Club in Greenwich, Connecticut, and they became engaged in 1943. She attended Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, but did not graduate, instead choosing to marry George H.W. Bush in 1945 at the First Presbyterian Church in Rye, New York. Her family was connected to several prominent American families, including the Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts.

● Marriage and Family

Barbara Pierce Bush married George H.W. Bush in 1945, and they had six children together: George W. Bush, Pauline Robinson Bush, John Ellis Bush, Neil Mallon Bush, Marvin Pierce Bush, and Dorothy Bush Koch. The family moved to Texas in 1948, where George H.W. Bush worked in the oil industry for Dresser Industries and later co-founded Zapata Petroleum. The family was active in the Republican Party, and George H.W. Bush served in the United States House of Representatives from 1967 to 1971, representing Texas's 7th congressional district. Barbara Pierce Bush supported her husband's career, and was involved in various charitable organizations, including the United Way and the American Red Cross. She was also a supporter of the National Symphony Orchestra and the Kennedy Center.

● Public Life and Politics

As the wife of George H.W. Bush, Barbara Pierce Bush was active in public life and politics, and served as the Second Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989, during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. She was a strong supporter of her husband's career, and was involved in various campaigns and elections, including the 1980 Republican National Convention and the 1988 Republican National Convention. She was also a supporter of the National Republican Committee and the Republican National Committee. As First Lady of the United States, she continued to promote literacy and education, and was a strong supporter of the National Literacy Directory and the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. She was also a supporter of the United Nations and the UNICEF.

● Later Life and Death

After leaving the White House in 1993, Barbara Pierce Bush continued to be active in public life and politics, and was a strong supporter of her son George W. Bush's presidential campaigns in 2000 and 2004. She was also a supporter of the National Republican Committee and the Republican National Committee. She suffered from Graves' disease and heart disease, and underwent heart surgery in 2009. She died on April 17, 2018, at the age of 92, at her home in Houston, Texas, surrounded by her family, including her husband George H.W. Bush, her children George W. Bush, John Ellis Bush, Neil Mallon Bush, Marvin Pierce Bush, and Dorothy Bush Koch, and her grandchildren, including Barbara Pierce Bush's namesake, Barbara Pierce Bush Cowan.

● Legacy

Barbara Pierce Bush's legacy is one of public service and philanthropy, and she is remembered for her work in promoting literacy and education. She was a strong supporter of the National Literacy Directory and the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, and was a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1999. She was also a supporter of the United Nations and the UNICEF, and was a recipient of the United Nations Population Award in 1992. Her family continues to be involved in politics and public service, with her son George W. Bush serving as the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009, and her grandson George P. Bush serving as the Texas Land Commissioner since 2015. She is buried at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas, alongside her husband George H.W. Bush. Category:First Ladies of the United States