“You want to know why George W. is the way he is? Because I drank and smoked while I was pregnant with him.” These were some of the last words the former First Lady of the United States spoke (of course they were between glasses of bourbon). This tongue and cheek style was the blunt humor that encompassed the Bush family for well over half a century. Her distinguishable fashion sense might as well be trademarked, the distinguishable white pearls might as well have their own special brand, but the distinctive wit is beyond words.

Barbara Bush was the wife of former President George H. W. Bush for 73 years and the mother of former President George W. Bush. She was the second former First Lady to also be the mother of a president, the first being Abigail Adams. Barbara Bush was at the scene of American politics for as long as many Americans can remember. She was the rock of Presidents, Vice Presidents, and governors, as well as a valuable campaigning asset. However, her pride and joy were raising one of the most influential political family in the matchless role as a mother.  

Being the matriarch of one of the most important political dynasties in American history brought with it a sense of purpose and a potential chance for societal change. Barbara Bush was held in high regards due to her close, undying marriage with her husband and her untainted family kinship. So, she was not afraid to take a stand and fight for what she believed in and as First Lady she used her political position to fight for improvements in American literacy. She was an avid advocate for improvements in reading ability because she firmly believed that success derived from education. Her work for child literacy was one of her life’s greatest achievements and for her it was one of the many blessings that was put in front of her to champion.

Barbara Bush was not above criticism even despite her support throughout the years. In her commencement speech at Wellesley College in 1990 she won over a largely feministic crowd with, you guessed it, her personality. There were protesters in attendance that saw her family values as values that didn’t align with the modern feminist movement, but the mannerism portrayed in her speech reached across the disagreements and ended with a standing ovation. She discussed the things in life that are more important than careers; things like the importance of relationships with friends and family She always had a motherly tenderness towards youth and she knew how to get a message across even if it meant joking at her expense by humorously acknowledging she was not Wellesley’s first choice. However, what really resonates, especially today, is her anecdote at the end of her speech, she famously quipped, “Who knows, somewhere out in this audience may even be someone who will one day follow in my footsteps and preside over the White House as the President’s spouse and I wish him well.” This type of personality charmed the American people and influenced a generation.

First and foremost, Barbara Bush is a mother and that, as quoted in many interviews she has given, is one of her greatest achievements. She always believed in family and that was the cornerstone of her life. She was respected, but most importantly, she was loved unconditionally. Her family understood her notion of mutual respect and that aspect is portrayed in the respect her family has for their matriarch. For example, in the days following her death, George W. Bush went out and talked genuinely about his mother, “She was warm and wonderful to you — till you got out of line”; in other recorded interviews her grandchildren illustrated a comparable persona. One of her nicknames her family dubbed her was “the enforcer”. That nickname exemplifies a no-nonsense and strong headed woman that has no issue in carrying out motherly duties despite being in the public eye. As a mother she was loved and respected, as a grandmother she was adored and cherished and as a wife she was the center of the world, but to the American people she was a First Lady and there will never be another one quite like her.