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    • Barbara Bush

    Wikipedia

    IMDb

    First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    Barbara Bush was the first lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993, after serving as the second lady from 1981 to 1989. She was a prominent figure in American politics, known for her work in promoting literacy and supporting people with AIDS. Barbara Bush had an eventful life, from meeting her husband George H.W. Bush at age 16 to being the mother of two U.S. presidents.

    Table of Contents

    Occupation

    politician

    president

    Family Info

    Siblings

    Scott Pierce

    Spouses

    George H. W. Bush

    Children

    George W. Bush

    Jeb Bush

    Neil Bush

    Marvin P. Bush

    Dorothy Bush Koch

    Robin Bush

    About the Barbara Bush

    Barbara Bushwas the first lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993, as the wife of the 41st president of the United States, George H. W. Bush. She was previously the second lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989, and founded the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. Among her children are George W. Bush, the 43rd president of the United States, and Jeb Bush, the 43rd governor of Florida. She and Abigail Adams are the only two women to be the wife of one U.S. president and the mother of another. At the time she became first lady, she was the second oldest woman to hold the position, behind only Anna Harrison, who never lived in the capital. Bush was generally popular as first lady, recognized for her apolitical grandmotherly image.

    Barbara Pierce was born in New York City and grew up in Rye, New York. She met George H. W. Bush at the age of sixteen, and the two married in 1945. They moved to Texas in 1948, where George was successful in the oil industry and later began his political career. Bush had six children between 1946 and 1959, and she had to endure the loss of her three-year-old daughter Robin to leukemia in 1953. She lived in Washington, D.C., New York, and China while accompanying her husband in his various political roles in the 1960s and 1970s. She became an active campaigner for her husband whenever he stood for election. Bush became second lady after her husband became vice president in 1981. She took on the role of a social hostess as second lady, holding frequent events at the vice president’s residence, and she traveled to many countries with her husband on his diplomatic missions.

    Bush became first lady in 1989 after her husband was inaugurated as president. She enjoyed the role and life in the White House, though her experience as first lady was complicated by her protectiveness over her family and her diagnosis of Graves’ disease in 1989. She frequently carried out charity work, including her projects to promote literacy and her support for people with AIDS. Among the most prominent of her actions as first lady was the commencement speech she gave at Wellesley College; it saw considerable publicity and her selection was controversial, but it was widely regarded as a success. She remained active in political campaigning after leaving the White House, as two of her sons ran for office in both gubernatorial and presidential campaigns.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Barbara Bush was the first lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993, as the wife of the 41st president, George H. W. Bush. She was previously the second lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989.

    As first lady, Barbara Bush frequently carried out charity work, including her projects to promote literacy and her support for people with AIDS. She was also active in political campaigning after leaving the White House.

    Barbara Bush’s children include George W. Bush, the 43rd president of the United States, and Jeb Bush, the 43rd governor of Florida. She and Abigail Adams are the only two women to be the wife of one U.S. president and the mother of another.

    Barbara Pierce was born in New York City and grew up in Rye, New York.

    Barbara Bush met George H.W. Bush at the age of sixteen, and the two married in 1945.

    Barbara Bush had six children between 1946 and 1959, and she had to endure the loss of her three-year-old daughter Robin to leukemia in 1953.

    Barbara Bush enjoyed the role and life in the White House, though her experience as first lady was complicated by her protectiveness over her family and her diagnosis of Graves’ disease in 1989.

    25 Quotes by Barbara Bush

    1. 1.

      You have to love your children unselfishly. That’s hard. But it’s the only way.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    2. 2.

      Believe in something larger than yourself… get involved in the big ideas of your time.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    3. 3.

      It seems to me I spent my life in car pools, but you know, that’s how I kept track of what was going on.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    4. 4.

      You may think the president is all-powerful, but he is not. He needs a lot of guidance from the Lord.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    5. 5.

      It was the dumbest thing I had ever seen, but it’s a family thing, and I guess it’s clean.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    6. 6.

      The personal things should be left out of platforms at conventions. You can argue yourself blue in the face, and you’re not going to change each other’s minds. It’s a waste of your time and my time.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    7. 7.

      The winner of the hoop race will be the first to realize her dream, not society’s dream, her own personal dream.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    8. 8.

      When you come to a roadblock, take a detour.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    9. 9.

      Somewhere out in this audience may even be someone who will one day follow my footsteps, and preside over the White House as the president’s spouse. I wish him well!

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    10. 10.

      I think togetherness is a very important ingredient to family life.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    11. 11.

      I married the first man I ever kissed. When I tell this to my children, they just about throw up.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    12. 12.

      I may be the only mother in America who knows exactly what their child is up to all the time.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    13. 13.

      At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    14. 14.

      To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    15. 15.

      Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success will be how you treat other people – your family, friends, and coworkers, and even strangers you meet along the way.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    16. 16.

      One thing I can say about George… he may not be able to keep a job, but he’s not boring.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    17. 17.

      I’m not a competitive person, and I think women like me because they don’t think I’m competitive, just nice.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    18. 18.

      My son, George, has been a bad, bad boy! Right, George?

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    19. 19.

      You don’t just luck into things as much as you would like to think you do. You build step by step, whether it is friendships or opportunities.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    20. 20.

      Cherish your human connections – your relationships with friends and family.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    21. 21.

      Giving frees us from the familiar territory of our own needs by opening our mind to the unexplained worlds occupied by the needs of others.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    22. 22.

      Bias has to be taught. If you hear your parents downgrading women or people of different backgrounds, why, you are going to do that.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    23. 23.

      And who knows? Somewhere out there in this audience may even be someone who will one day follow my footsteps, and preside over the White House as the president’s spouse. I wish him well!

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    24. 24.

      You just don’t luck into things as much as you’d like to think you do. You build step by step, whether it’s friendships or opportunities.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993

    25. 25.

      If human beings are perceived as potentials rather than problems, as possessing strengths instead of weaknesses, as unlimited rather that dull and unresponsive, then they thrive and grow to their capabilities.

      Barbara Bush

      First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993