Barbara Bush

She met George Herbert Walker Bush when she was just 16 years old. They started dating and got married a few years later on January 6, 1945. They had six children, including daughter Robin who died of leukemia at the age of four, and son George Bush who became the 43rd President of the United States.

The death of her daughter at such a young age devastated Barbara and inspired her to care more for the underprivileged. This is one of the reasons the former First Lady was so dedicated towards social causes.

She died at her home in Houston, Texas on April 17, 2018, at the age of 92. She was suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure.

Barbara Bush was born as Barbara Pierce on June 8, 1925, in New York City as the third child of Pauline and her husband Marvin Pierce. Her father later became the president of McCall Corporation, the publisher of the popular women's magazines ‘Redbook’ and ‘McCall's’.

She went to the Rye Country Day School from 1931 to 1937 and later studied at Ashley Hall in Charleston, South Carolina from 1940 to 1943. She was an athletic young girl who enjoyed swimming, tennis, and bike-riding. She also loved to read.

She met George Herbert Walker Bush, a student at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts during a dance over Christmas vacation when she was 16. The two began dating and eventually married in 1945 while George was on leave during his deployment as a naval officer in World War II.

The young couple moved frequently during the initial years of their marriage due to George’s naval career. They were blessed with six children over the next few years, and Barbara settled into a hectic life as a wife and a mother.

Her husband graduated from Yale University after the World War II and moved the family to Texas. George H.W. Bush ventured into the oil business, and soon became a successful businessman. He eventually founded the Zapata Corporation.

Barbara managed their house and took care of the children while George was away on business. She was a very loyal wife and a dedicated mother to her children.

Along with his business interests, George ventured into politics as well. Once again Barbara supported him wholeheartedly. He ran for the U.S. Senator from Texas in 1964 and even though he lost, this campaign helped him gain national recognition.

George Bush was elected as a U.S. Representative in Congress from Texas two years later in 1966, marking the beginning of a successful political career. Bush rose through the political ranks over the ensuing years and Barbara supported him in every way she could.

Barbara Bush was involved with literacy organizations. As the First Lady, she helped develop the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy which was formed with the aim of encouraging low-income parents to read along with their children. Some of the funding came from the proceeds of a book she wrote about the Bush family dog, Millie.