Barbara Bush “was the gold standard for what it means to be First Lady,” the Republican Jewish Coalition said following her passing Tuesday night in Houston.
The wife of the 41st president, George H.W. Bush, as well as the mother of the 43rd, George W. Bush, died at her home with her husband by her side. She was 92 and had been battling COPD, a lung disease, and congestive heart failure, according to reports.
Barbara Bush was known for her large fake pearl chokers and grandmotherly appearance, and her no-nonsense attitude. As first lady from January 1989 to January 1993, Bush reportedly often polled as more popular than her husband.
“Barbara Bush was an extraordinary woman,” Norm Coleman, national chairman of the Republican Jewish Coalition and a former U.S. senator from Minnesota, said in a statement. “She dedicated her life to public service, and worked tirelessly to help sick children and people in need. She inspired millions and helped countless others. She will be deeply missed, but her legacy of charity will live on. May her memory be a blessing.”
JTA