J-Speaks: The Passing of a Great Public Servant

He was one of the greatest public servants in our country. A war hero, a diplomat as a proud member of the United States military, a Congressman and eventually the leader of the free world. He was a devoted and loving husband, father, and grandfather. Above all this proud man born in the Northeast part of the country believed that our country was stronger together regardless of what side of the political line you were on. This weekend the nation said goodbye to this great servant to our nation. 

George Herbert Walker Bush, the 41^st President of the United States of America passed away late Friday night at his home in Houston, TX. The cause of death of the 94-year-old, was not disclosed. 

Since Bush 41’s passing, a memorial of flowers and notes has grown outside his home in Houston, the family through the Bush Family Foundation is sharing home videos and recordings of the former president reading a letter to his children.  

Across the country flags flew at half staff in honor of the 41^st President from the White House to the George Bush Library and Museum on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, TX.

The spokesperson for the Bush family Jim McGrath said that Mr. Bush died shortly after 10 p.m. that evening-seven months and 13 days after the passing of his beloved wife of 73 years and former First Lady Barbara Bush, who he called in his last interview with former ABC News’ “Good Morning America” anchor Diane Sawyer “the leader of his family.” 

He added that his wife was a kind person that had an amazing spirit, was unselfish to where they always said a prayer together before bed, and never went to bed angry and never stayed angry. 

The late Mrs. Bush said that she married a man that was “the most decent, honorable, wonderful.” 

“Nobody’s ever been as lucky as I’ve been, and I want people to remember him as courageous. I want them to remember him as he is.”

The Bush’s are survived by five of his six children in George Walker Bush, the 43^rd President of the U.S.; John Ellis “Jeb” Bush Sr., the 43^rd Governor of Florida from 1999-2007; Neil Mallon Bush; Marvin Pierce and Dorothy Walker “Doro” Bush Koch. 

Between the five kids, they gave their parents 14 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. The most well known of the grandchildren are Barbara and television reporter and frequent host on the NBC News’ “Today” Jenna Bush Hager and her sister Barbara, the children of George W. and Laura Bush. 

Bush Hager produced a touching tribute to her grandfather on her Instagram page that brought those who read it to tears according to the Sunday edition of the New York Post, that also included a photograph of a joyous moment of the two along with her twin sister Barbara, that was placed in the article by Mary Kay Linge. There was also a photograph of a young Jenna and Barbara listening to a story with fellow Bush grandchildren Pierce, Marshall, Lauren, Ashley, and Sam LeBlonde on Christmas Eve 1991.

That touching tribute went like, “Waking up missing this giant of a man who gave me everything. He taught me and my family about service, family, decency, the power of gentle words and a beautiful heart. I will miss him desperately but so happy he and my Grandmother are back together.

The Bush’s second child Pauline “Robin” Robinson died of leukemia two months shy of her fourth birthday in 1953.  

In a report from ABC News’ Elizabeth Hur on Saturday night, Mr. Bush’s simple burial instructions were released. He wanted the military song played called “The Last Full Measure of Devotion.” As for his grave stone, he wants something plain with his Navy number on it and a quote dedicated to his late wife who was known to loved ones as “Bar” that says, “He loved Barbara very much.” 

The final send-off for America’s 41^st Commander-in-Chief began on Monday morning when his coffin was flown aboard Air Force One from Ellington Field in Houston to Joint Base Andrews in Prince George’s County, MD. The flight carrying Mr. Bush’s body was called “Special Air Mission 41.”

There was an arrival ceremony at the Base that took place at 3:30 p.m., which was followed by an arrival ceremony at the U.S. Capitol at 4:45 p.m. Members of Congress got a chance to pay their respects in a bicameral arrival ceremony that began at 5 p.m. The general public got their chance to say farewell starting at 7:30 p.m. at the base and Mr. Bush will lie in state there until 8:45 a.m. Wednesday morning. 

A departure ceremony will take place at the U.S. Capitol at 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning with a funeral service at Washington’s National Cathedral at 11 a.m. A departure ceremony will follow at the cathedral at 12:30 p.m. and then Mr. Bush’s casket will depart from Joint Base Andrews back to Ellington Field in Houston at 1:15 p.m. He will lie in repose at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church from Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. to Thursday at 6 a.m. There will be an honor guard in attendance. 

Funeral services will take place at the church at 10 a.m. Mr. Bush’s remains will then be transported via motorcade to Union Pacific Railroad Westfield auto Facility in Spring, TX. The casket will then be transported to College Station, TX. 

Bush 41 will be laid to rest at 4:15 p.m. right behind his presidential library in a family plot right alongside Barbara, his wife, and their daughter “Robin.” 

Mr. Bush’s service dog Sully has been alongside his casket on his final journey to his funeral that will take place on Thursday morning at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church back in Houston at 10 a.m. is his service dog Sully and McGrath tweeted a photo of Sully lying next to his casket early Sunday night with the caption “Mission complete. #Remebering41.” 

Bush 43 said that the Labor door will go back into service to help veterans at the Walter Reid National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. 

There are many who say that when the elder Bush was sworn in as the 41^st President of our great nation in 1992, following the man he had just served alongside as Vice President in No. 40 Ronald Reagan he became one of the most qualified people to be elected Commander in Chief of the U.S. history. 

He served as Congressman representing Texas’s 7^th District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1967-71. The 10^th Ambassador to the United Nations from 1971-73 for President Richard Nixon. The 2^nd Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office to the People’s Republic of China. The 11^th Director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and for eight years as the right-hand man to the previously mentioned late Mr. Reagan. 

When Mr. Bush became leader of the nation, he said in his inauguration speech in 1989 about the direction of our nation that, “A new breeze is blowing and a world refreshed by freedom seems reborn.” 

Mr. Bush also stressed the importance of public service, a concept that was an important driving force in his journey of life as he was born into privilege on June 12, 1924 in Milton, MA to former U.S. Senator Prescott (R-CT) and Dorothy Walker Bush. 

He was raised in Greenwich, CT, where he lived on Grove Lane and attended The Greenwich Country Day School. Mr. Bush and his family practiced their faith at the Christ Church in that town of Connecticut. 

Senior Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) remembered the former leader of the free world as someone who had a twinkle in his eye when he talked about where he lived during his youth and the fond memories of New Haven, CT as well as Greenwich. 

Governor Dannel Malloy has ordered flags be flown at half-staff for the next 30 days in honor of Bush 41. 

The young Bush’s life would change dramatically when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, he postponed continuing his education after high school and he enlisted to fight in the Navy in World War II becoming the youngest pilot in history at age 18. He flew 58 combat missions, but during one of those missions was shot down over the Pacific. 

Mr. Bush was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and was sent back home to the Northeast.

The U.S. Navy marked the passing of the 41^st President from their Twitter page @flynavy saying, “Naval Aviation mourns the passing of our 41^st President George H.W. Bush, a Naval Aviator, statesman, and humble public servant. His legacy lives on in those who don the cloth of our great nation and in the mighty warship which bears his name, @CVN77_GHWB. May he Rest In Peace.”

On Monday, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point honored the 1994 Thayer Award recipient by firing a cannon from Trophy Point at every half hour from reveille, the start of the day to retreat, the end of the day from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

It was in New York in he would meet the love of his life while on leave from World War II. She was Barbara Pierce of Queens, NY, who he married in 1945 and who would be by his side for 73 years. 

Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) has ordered all flags be flown at half-staff at all state buildings beginning on Tuesday until President Bush’s body is laid to rest. 

Mr. and Mrs. Bush’s journey would take him to the baseball diamond where he played the game at Yale University from 1947-48. The first baseman, who captained the Bulldogs in first two College World Series. 

The NBA’s New York Knicks had a moment of silence before for Mr. Bush before their tilt versus the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday afternoon, while the Houston Rockets before their tilt versus the Chicago Bulls had not only a moment of silence but a video tribute that featured images of Mr. Bush sitting courtside at several games and posing for pictures with various former players and coaches of the organization. 

After earning his undergraduate degree in economics, Bush and his family moved to West Texas where thanks to his father’s connections ventured into the oil business eventually starting Bush-Overbey Oil Development company in 1951 and two years later co-founded the Zapata Petroleum Corporation. 

The journey would eventually take Mr. Bush Sr. and former U.S. Senator and Congressmen from Indiana Dan Quayle to the highest office that and into a world that he called rich with promise and one where he would rewrite how the United States did foreign policy. 

One of those historic moments in foreign policy under Bush’s watch came on the night that the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 and the Soviet Union collapsed two years later, bringing an end to communism as the planet new it in Eastern Europe. 

That was followed by the Persian Gulf War and the liberation of Kuwait from the Iraqi armed forces, with Bush said of that moment, “A line has been drawn in the sand.”

In addressing the nation back then, the elder Bush said about the ending of the Cold War and the demise of communism, “Eastern Europe is free. The Soviet Union itself is no more.” 

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who was the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff under Bush 41 said to “NBC Nightly News” anchor Lester Holt on the Saturday evening broadcast about when the press asked him what he was going to do.

Powell said that Mr. Bush simply said, “This will not stand. This invasion. This evil thing words to that affect.” 

Powell, who was watching his television at his home as Bush made that statement and he knew right then that if this confrontation cannot be solved peacefully that military force was the next option. 

Victory was achieved without one single shot being fired thankfully and that victory in the Gulf earned Mr. Bush great popularity. That however did not stem the tide of a faltering economy and a growing budget deficit weakened his presidency. It was his inability to keep a campaign promise that he made back three decades back would cost him dearly. 

“Read my lips. No new taxes,” he said at the Republican National Campaign in 1988.

Mr. Bush only served just one term in office as the Democratic challenger Bill Clinton defeated him in the 1992 Presidential Election. 

Even after a brutal campaign that makes the elections of today seem tame, Mr. Bush showed his trademark decency in leaving a letter of support for the incoming Commander-in-Chief in Mr. Clinton on Inauguration Day of Jan. 20, 1993 in the White House for him to read.

That letter, which would begin a modern presidential tradition that continues today, which the Bush Library tweeted @Bush41Library on Oct. 21, 2016 and was recently retweeted said, “Dear Bill: When I walked into this office just now, I felt the same sense of wonder and respect that I felt four years ago. I know you will feel that too.” 

“I wish you great happiness here. I never felt the loneliness some Presidents have described. There will be very tough times, made even more difficult by criticism you may not think is fair. I’m not a very good one to give advice; but just don’t let the critics discourage you or push you off course.” 

“You will be our President when you read this note. I wish you well. I wish your family well. Your success now is our country’s success. I am rooting hard for you. Good Luck. George/.”  

It would not be the last time though that a Bush would occupy the White House as his previously mentioned son George W. was elected to the highest office in the land for two terms in 2000 and 2004. The Bush’s became the first father-son presidential duo since 1825 when John Quincy Adams followed his dad John to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington D.C. Adams.

Bush 43 would finish a task his father began in taking down Saddam Hussein 12 years later.

The 43^rd President of our country George W. Bush remembered his father as quote, “A man of the highest character and the best dad son or could ask for.”

In retirement, Mr. Bush continued that pursuit of life doing activities like parachute jumping and watching baseball. 

For his 90^th Birthday back in 2009, he went skydiving, carrying on a tradition he started on his 75^th birthday and his 80^th. 

He also teamed up with his former adversary in Mr. Clinton to raise funds for hurricane and tsunami victims. He also teamed up with the 44^th President of the United States Barack Obama to promote volunteerism. 

Mr. Clinton and his wife, former First Lady, United States Senator of New York, Presidential Candidate, and the 67^th U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recognized Mr. Bush’s military, diplomatic and political achievements saying over the weekend, “Few Americans have been-or will ever be-able to match President Bush’s record of service to the United States and the joy he took every day from it.”

Mr. Clinton added in a tweet @BillClinton on Friday evening, “Hillary and I mourn the passing of President George H.W. Bush and give thanks for his great long life of service, love and friendship. I am grateful for every minute I spent with him and will always hold our friendship as one of my life’s greatest gifts.”

These two simple acts promoted something that is very much missing from our nation, the ability to connect with someone that you disagree with on most things politically but when it came to promoting things that should never have any partisan thinking that is what makes our nation better and bridges the gap that divides and deludes our greatness as a whole. 

“He easily could have chosen a life of comfort and privilege and instead time and again when offered a chance to serve he seized it,” Mr. Obama said of the Senior Bush’s ability to act when called upon to give back. 

He added by saying in a statement, “America has lost a patriot and humble servant in George Herbert Walker Bush. While our hearts are heavy today, they are also filled with gratitude.” 

Mr. Obama's wife and former First Lady Michelle Obama, who is currently promoting her new book "Becoming" announced on Sunday that she will be postponing several stops on book tour to attend Bush 41's funeral services. 

"It's important to me to join the Bush family in celebrating President George H.W. Bush's exemplary life. This will unfortunately  preclude my visits to Paris and Berlin," Mrs. Obama tweeted @MichelleObama on Sunday morning. "I've been deeply touched by the enthusiasm for my memoir, and I'm working to reschedule my trip for next year." 

"I hope readers and ticket holders will understand my decision regarding my desire to attend President Bush's funeral, and join me in paying tribute to him and his tremendous contributions to our world." 

Mr. Quayle echoed those same sentiments saying, “I have often told my children, ‘If you want a role model in your life-look to President George Herbert Walker Bush.”

In a world today where it seems that the ability to respect one another on both sides of the political spectrum seems to be as lost as ever, Mr. Bush always seemed to find a way to get along with not just his Republican colleagues but Democrats as well as every day Americans. He had a humility and decency that crossed not just the political spectrum. 

The current occupiers of the White House in President Donald J. Trump, who has governed at times with very little compassion to say the least and his wife-First Lady Melania showed their respects to the former leader of the free world saying, “President Bush set the bar higher. Inspiring Americans to be, in his words, ‘A Thousand points of light,’ illuminating the greatness, hope, and opportunity of America to the world.” 

Mr. Trump, who was in Argentina over the weekend for the G20 Summit said he called members of the Bush family to offer his condolences and said to reporters at the summit of the 41^st President, “He was a very fine man. I met him on numerous occasions. He was just a high-quality man who truly loved his family. One thing that came through loud and clear. He was very proud of his family.” 

That is quite a turn from what took place during the 2016 Presidential Election when Bush 41 called Mr. Trump a blowhard. 

Other than that moment though, the elder Bush tried to stay above all the craziness that took place, despite Mr. Trump’s attacks on his son’s and his own policy. 

Mr. Trump, who did not attend the funeral services for U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) when he passed in late August will be in attendance for the services to Bush 41 this week and on Saturday issued a proclamation declaring this Wednesday a National Day of Mourning to remember Bush 41.  

Governor Cuomo called Mr. Bush a great unifier, as WNBC 4 New York’s Government Affairs reporter Melissa Russo said that he governed in the oval office in the so-called mold of the “greatest generation,” that was about humility and patriotism that was above partisanship. 

One person who had a front row seat for that ability to govern was former New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean (R), a person who he shared a life-long family friendship with before running both the elder Bush’s Presidential elections. Mr. Kean said Bush 41 always worked to make others feel comfortable.

“He carried our area in the election,” the 48^th governor of the “Garden State” and Chairman of the 9/11 Commission said to Russo. “So, he wasn’t unpopular here.”

Mr. Bush among his many gifts was the ability to connect with others and that connection was especially true in Kennebunkport, ME where Bush 41 spent much of his early life and returned to the family compound every summer.

Mr. Kean mentioned how Mr. Bush singled out his wife Deborah Bye at campaign events so that she felt a part of the moment. After doing that few times Mrs. Bush came up to Kean and asked, “Have I got a rival?”

Congressman Peter King (R-NY) remembers meeting Mr. Bush at the conclusion of his presidency when he was an incoming Congressman in 1993 when he invited a group of them down to the White House to welcome them to D.C. and to say see you later at the same time. 

“I was really eerie like walking down the White House and all the cardboard cartons were packed up because he was moving out, but he could’ve been more friendly,” the Congressman from New York’s Second District said. 

Late Friday night, the nation said goodbye to a great man who served our country as well as you could in every aspect of it. As a member of our military; as a businessman; as a vice president; the C.I.A.; a U.S. Ambassador; as Vice President and then President. More than anything George Herbert Walker Bush was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great grand father who passed on his love of service and dignity to his entire family and earned the respect and appreciation of this entire nation and the world. He governed the way his lived his life with honor, dignity, respect, and enthusiasm and developed long lasting friendships with those he campaigned against and those of the opposite party. Bush 41 in his own way taught all of us that we are stronger together than we are apart. 

As Mrs. Obama put in a tweet on Saturday that was accompanied by a photo of her receiving a kiss on her cheek from Mr. Bush during a White House visit when her husband was in office saying of the 41st President, "As a public servant, father, and grandfather, President George H.W. Bush was an extraordinary example for us all. His spirit of service and decency will be missed by many, including our family. I hope his memory will be a guiding light for our country and those around the world." 

Information and quotations are courtesy of 12/1/18 6 a.m. edition of WABC 7 “Eyewitness News This Morning,” with Michelle Charlesworth, Toni Yates, and Weather Anchor Amy Freeze, with reports from Bill Ritter, Lynda Lopez of ABC News and Marcus Solis; 12/1/18 11 p.m. edition of WNBC “New 4 NY at 11,” with Adam Kuperstein, Jummy Olabanji, Weather Anchor Erica Grow and Sports Anchor John Chandler, with reports from Chris Pollone, and Government Affairs reporter Melissa Russo; 12/2/18 11 p.m. edition of WABC 7 “Eyewitness News” with Joe Torres, Sandra Bookman, Weather Anchor Jeff Smith, and Sports Anchor Sam Ryan, with report from ABC News’ Elizabeth Hur; 12/3/18 6 a.m. edition of WPIX 11’s “PIX11 Morning News at 6 a.m.” with Dan Mannarino, Katie Corrado, Weather Anchor Byron Miranda and Traffic Anchor Marissa Torres; 12/1/18 www.nytimes.com article “Bush’s Letter to Clinton Cemented a Presidential Tradition, Historians Say,” by Julia Jacobs; 12/2/18 Newsday article “No Higher Honor Than to Serve,” by The Associated Press; 12/2/18 New York Post articles “Final Goodbye ‘I Love You, Too,’” by Mary Kay Linge and “A Thousand Points of Lightheartedness; A Daredevil Cornball & ‘Sock Man,’” by Laura Italiano;

12/2/18 www.usatoday.com story, “Michelle Obama Postpones Several Book Tour Stops to Attend George H.W. Bush’s Funeral,” by Cydney Henderson, with contributions from Aamer Madhani, Kirk Bado, and Dalvin Brown; 12/4/18 www.abc7news.com story, “National Day of Mourning for President George H.W. Bush: What you need to Know;” 12/4/18 11 p.m. edition of “Chasing News,” with Bill Spadea on WWORDT-TV 9, New York, NY, with report in Washington, D.C. from FOX News’ Ray Bogan http://www.nba.com/games/20181201/CHIHOU#/recap; http://www.nba.com/games/20181201/MILNYK#/recap; www.google.com; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_T._King; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Kean; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Quayle; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yale_University; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prescott_Bush; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush; and https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H._W._Bush.