BARBARA BUSH
Name: Barbara Pierce Bush
Born: 8 June 1925 Flushing, New York, U.S.
Barbara Pierce Bush (born June 8, 1925) is the wife of the 41st President of the
United States, George H. W. Bush, making her First Lady of the United States
from 1989 to 1993. Preceding that, she was the Second Lady of the United States
from 1981 to 1989 while her husband was Vice President to Ronald Reagan. She is
the mother of U.S. President George W. Bush and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.
Barbara Pierce was the third child of the former Pauline Robinson (1896–1949)
and her husband, Marvin Pierce (1893–1969), who later became president of McCall
Corporation, the publisher of the popular women's magazines Redbook and McCall's.
She was born at Booth Memorial Hospital in Flushing, Queens in New York City,
and raised in the suburban town of Rye, New York. Barbara attended Rye Country
Day School from 1931 to 1937 and later boarding school at Ashley Hall in
Charleston, South Carolina (from 1940 to 1943).
Barbara was athletic as a youth and enjoyed swimming, tennis, and bike-riding.
Her interest in reading began early in her life; she recalls gathering with her
family during the evenings and reading together.
Her ancestor Thomas Pierce, an early New England colonist, was also an ancestor
of Franklin Pierce, the 14th president of the United States. She is a direct
descendant, great-great-granddaughter, of James Pierce, Jr. who was a fourth
cousin of President Pierce. Her mother was killed in a car accident in
September 1949.
She met George Herbert Walker "Poppy" Bush, a student at Phillips Academy in
Andover, Massachusetts, at age sixteen during a dance over Christmas vacation.
One and a half years later, the two engaged, just before he went off to World
War II as a Navy torpedo bomber pilot. He named three of his planes after her:
Barbara, Barbara II, and Barbara III. When he returned on leave, she had dropped
out of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. Two weeks later, on January
6, 1945, they married. He graduated from Yale University following the end of
the war; they soon moved to Midland, Texas. She gave birth to six children:
George W. Bush (born July 6, 1946), 43rd President of the United States and 46th
Governor of Texas
Pauline Robinson "Robin" Bush (December 20, 1949 – October 11, 1953, died of
leukemia)
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush (born February 11, 1953), 43rd Governor of Florida
Neil Mallon Bush (born January 22, 1955)
Marvin Pierce Bush (born October 22, 1956)
Dorothy Bush Koch (born August 18, 1959)
Meanwhile, George H. W. Bush built a business in the oil industry, where he
founded Zapata Corporation. The Bush family moved 30 times over the years.
Barbara raised her children while her husband, who served in a variety of
government jobs, was usually away.
Barbara Bush, President Bush, former First Lady Nancy Reagan and former
President Ronald Reagan in 1993 while the Bushes present President Reagan with
the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Bush with children and White House staff in the China Room. The first lady is
attempting to make a paw print of her pet Millie for a holiday card.
Barbara Bush was active with the White House Historical Association and worked
to revitalize the White House Preservation Fund, which she renamed the White
House Endowment Trust. The trust raises funds for the ongoing refurbishment and
restoration of the White House. Mrs. Bush set a goal of raising $25 million
towards the endowment, and met it.
Bush was known for her affection for her pet English Springer Spaniel Millie.
She (Mrs. Bush) wrote a child's book about Millie's new litter of puppies.
Barbara Bush became the first U.S. First Lady to become a recipient of the Henry
G. Freeman Jr. Pin Money Fund, receiving $36,000, most of which she gave to
favorite charities.
First Ladies Nancy Reagan, Lady Bird Johnson, Hillary Clinton, Rosalynn Carter,
Betty Ford and Barbara Bush sit together at the National Garden Gala, A Tribute
to America's First Ladies, May 11, 1994
Currently, she lives with her husband in Houston, Texas, and at the Bush
Compound in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Three primary schools in Texas are named after her. One is a Houston ISD school
in Houston. One Conroe ISD school in the The Woodlands in Montgomery County is
named for her. A Grand Prairie ISD school in the Dallas suburb of Grand Prairie
is also named after her. An elementary school in Mesa, Arizona's Mesa Public
Schools is also named after her.
Two middle schools are named after her. One is in San Antonio in the North East
ISD. One is in Irving in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD.
A Harris County Public Library branch in Cypress Creek, Harris County, Texas
called the Barbara Bush Library is named after her.
The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine
is named after Bush. Also named for her is one of George W. Bush's twin
daughters. They are frequent honored guests at the White House. She serves on
the Boards of AmeriCares and the Mayo Clinic, and heads the Barbara Bush
Foundation.
Mrs. Bush was initiated into Beta Sigma Phi women's fraternity as an alumna
honor initiate. Mrs. Bush also was initiated into the Texas Eta chapter (Texas A&M
University) of Pi Beta Phi women's fraternity in 2002 as an alumna honor
initiate. Even before her initiation, she served as honorary chairperson of
the fraternity's literacy philanthropy, continuing a cause she championed as
the wife of the Vice President and later as First Lady.
Name: Barbara Pierce Bush
Born: 8 June 1925 Flushing, New York, U.S.
Barbara Pierce Bush (born June 8, 1925) is the wife of the 41st President of the
United States, George H. W. Bush, making her First Lady of the United States
from 1989 to 1993. Preceding that, she was the Second Lady of the United States
from 1981 to 1989 while her husband was Vice President to Ronald Reagan. She is
the mother of U.S. President George W. Bush and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.
Barbara Pierce was the third child of the former Pauline Robinson (1896–1949)
and her husband, Marvin Pierce (1893–1969), who later became president of McCall
Corporation, the publisher of the popular women's magazines Redbook and McCall's.
She was born at Booth Memorial Hospital in Flushing, Queens in New York City,
and raised in the suburban town of Rye, New York. Barbara attended Rye Country
Day School from 1931 to 1937 and later boarding school at Ashley Hall in
Charleston, South Carolina (from 1940 to 1943).
Barbara was athletic as a youth and enjoyed swimming, tennis, and bike-riding.
Her interest in reading began early in her life; she recalls gathering with her
family during the evenings and reading together.
Her ancestor Thomas Pierce, an early New England colonist, was also an ancestor
of Franklin Pierce, the 14th president of the United States. She is a direct
descendant, great-great-granddaughter, of James Pierce, Jr. who was a fourth
cousin of President Pierce. Her mother was killed in a car accident in
September 1949.
She met George Herbert Walker "Poppy" Bush, a student at Phillips Academy in
Andover, Massachusetts, at age sixteen during a dance over Christmas vacation.
One and a half years later, the two engaged, just before he went off to World
War II as a Navy torpedo bomber pilot. He named three of his planes after her:
Barbara, Barbara II, and Barbara III. When he returned on leave, she had dropped
out of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. Two weeks later, on January
6, 1945, they married. He graduated from Yale University following the end of
the war; they soon moved to Midland, Texas. She gave birth to six children:
George W. Bush (born July 6, 1946), 43rd President of the United States and 46th
Governor of Texas
Pauline Robinson "Robin" Bush (December 20, 1949 – October 11, 1953, died of
leukemia)
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush (born February 11, 1953), 43rd Governor of Florida
Neil Mallon Bush (born January 22, 1955)
Marvin Pierce Bush (born October 22, 1956)
Dorothy Bush Koch (born August 18, 1959)
Meanwhile, George H. W. Bush built a business in the oil industry, where he
founded Zapata Corporation. The Bush family moved 30 times over the years.
Barbara raised her children while her husband, who served in a variety of
government jobs, was usually away.
Barbara Bush, President Bush, former First Lady Nancy Reagan and former
President Ronald Reagan in 1993 while the Bushes present President Reagan with
the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Bush with children and White House staff in the China Room. The first lady is
attempting to make a paw print of her pet Millie for a holiday card.
Barbara Bush was active with the White House Historical Association and worked
to revitalize the White House Preservation Fund, which she renamed the White
House Endowment Trust. The trust raises funds for the ongoing refurbishment and
restoration of the White House. Mrs. Bush set a goal of raising $25 million
towards the endowment, and met it.
Bush was known for her affection for her pet English Springer Spaniel Millie.
She (Mrs. Bush) wrote a child's book about Millie's new litter of puppies.
Barbara Bush became the first U.S. First Lady to become a recipient of the Henry
G. Freeman Jr. Pin Money Fund, receiving $36,000, most of which she gave to
favorite charities.
First Ladies Nancy Reagan, Lady Bird Johnson, Hillary Clinton, Rosalynn Carter,
Betty Ford and Barbara Bush sit together at the National Garden Gala, A Tribute
to America's First Ladies, May 11, 1994
Currently, she lives with her husband in Houston, Texas, and at the Bush
Compound in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Three primary schools in Texas are named after her. One is a Houston ISD school
in Houston. One Conroe ISD school in the The Woodlands in Montgomery County is
named for her. A Grand Prairie ISD school in the Dallas suburb of Grand Prairie
is also named after her. An elementary school in Mesa, Arizona's Mesa Public
Schools is also named after her.
Two middle schools are named after her. One is in San Antonio in the North East
ISD. One is in Irving in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD.
A Harris County Public Library branch in Cypress Creek, Harris County, Texas
called the Barbara Bush Library is named after her.
The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine
is named after Bush. Also named for her is one of George W. Bush's twin
daughters. They are frequent honored guests at the White House. She serves on
the Boards of AmeriCares and the Mayo Clinic, and heads the Barbara Bush
Foundation.
Mrs. Bush was initiated into Beta Sigma Phi women's fraternity as an alumna
honor initiate. Mrs. Bush also was initiated into the Texas Eta chapter (Texas A&M
University) of Pi Beta Phi women's fraternity in 2002 as an alumna honor
initiate. Even before her initiation, she served as honorary chairperson of
the fraternity's literacy philanthropy, continuing a cause she championed as
the wife of the Vice President and later as First Lady.