Late Friday night, George H.W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States, died at home. He was 94.
In addition to his son George W Bush (the 43rd president) the former POTUS is survived by his son Jeb (a former Florida governor); sons Neil and Marvin; daughter Dorothy; and 17 grandchildren. He will be buried alongside his daughter and the former first lady, who died eight months ago, at his presidential library in College Station, Texas. According to a statement released by Bush’s spokesman Jim McGrath, funeral arrangements will be announced at a later time.
Than you to CNN for the following information on the 41st President:
“Born into privilege and a tradition of service, Bush was a son of a senator, celebrated World War II combat pilot, student athlete, Texas oilman, Republican congressman, national party chairman, pioneering diplomat and spy chief. After his own 1980 presidential campaign came up short, he served two terms as Ronald Reagan’s vice president before reaching the pinnacle of political power by winning the 1988 presidential election, soundly defeating Democrat Michael Dukakis.
After losing the White House in 1992, Bush became a widely admired political elder who leapt out of airplanes to mark birthday milestones. Emphasizing the generosity of his soul, he forged a close — and unlikely — friendship with Democrat Bill Clinton, the man who ended his presidency. When Parkinson’s disease mostly silenced him in public, Bush flashed his sense of humor by sporting colorful striped socks.
The first sitting vice president to be elected to the presidency since 1836, Bush was also only the second person in US history to see his own son follow in his presidential footsteps when George W. Bush was elected in 2000.”2
Bush, who was born in Massachusetts on June 12, 1924, to a wealthy Wall Street banker and future Connecticut Sen. Prescott Bush and Dorothy Bush, had many notable accomplishments in life:3
- he was the youngest naval pilot at age 18 and flew combat missions from the aircraft carrier USS San Jacinto
- he attended Yale University, where he was a noted athlete and then went west with his new wife, Barbara Pierce, to set himself up as an early Texas oil prospector
- although he lost his run for the US Senate, in 1966, he won a seat in the House of Representatives.
- he was chosen by President Richard Nixon to serve as envoy to the United Nations
- later served as the head of the Republican National Committee during the Watergate scandal
- became one of the few prominent Westerners to get into China, which had been closed to outsiders for decades, heading the US Liaison Office in Beijing, the forerunner of the US Embassy
- in 1976, he became the head of the CIA, holding the job for a year
- ran for the White House and won
He marked his 75th, 80th, 85th and 90th birthdays by going skydiving, with the money going to charity ( primary causes included literacy, cancer research, and volunteerism). And during their years after the White House, he and his wife Barbara raised more than $1 billion for charity.
In 2017, several women accused the elder Bush of touching them inappropriately during photo ops. In response, his spokesman released a statement saying that “on occasion, (Bush) has patted women’s rears in what he intended to be a good-natured manner” and apologizing to “anyone he has offended.”4
Several years ago, Bush revealed that he was suffering from a form of Parkinson’s disease that left him unable to walk.
Our condolences to the family.
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