Former President George H.W. Bush Passes Away
41st President Dies in Houston
HOUSTON (CNN)- According to his spokesperson, former President George H.W. Bush has died in Houston Friday night.
The 41st President was born into privilege and a tradition of service.
Bush was a son of a senator, celebrated World War II combat pilot, student athlete, Texas oilman, Republican congressman, national party chairman, pioneering diplomat and spy chief.
After his own 1980 presidential campaign came up short, he served two terms as Ronald Reagan’s vice president.
He then reached the pinnacle of political power, winning the 1988 presidential election, soundly defeating Democrat Michael Dukakis.
Emphasizing the generosity of his soul, he forged a close–and unlikely–friendship with Democrat Bill Clinton, the man who ended his presidency.
Bush’s death comes after his wife of 73 years, Barbara Bush, passed away April 17 of this year, at age 92.
Before her funeral, Bush was pictured in a wheelchair gazing at his wife’s flower-covered casket, in a moment that encapsulated their life-long love affair.
The elder Bush revealed several years ago he suffered from a form of Parkinson’s disease which left him unable to walk. He used a wheelchair or a scooter to get around.
When Parkinson’s disease mostly silenced him in public, Bush flashed his sense of humor by sporting colorful striped socks.
