[custom_adv] Former first lady Barbara Bush was remembered by friends and family at her funeral on Saturday, April 21. The 1,500 invited guests gathered for the service at the St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas, to pay tribute to the wife of former president George H. W. Bush, who died at the age of 92 on Tuesday, April 17, following a series of recent hospitalizations. Following the service, the grandmother and great-grandmother was set to be buried at the Bush Library at Texas A&M University, northwest of Houston. [custom_adv] Thousands of people paid their respects to the former first lady at a viewing that was open to the public on Friday, April 20, ahead of the funeral, which was by invite only. [custom_adv] President Donald Trump was not in attendance. The White House released a statement on Friday, April 20, saying the former reality star would not be present at the service for security reasons but his wife would be there to pay her respects. [custom_adv] "First Lady Melania Trump will attend the memorial service for Barbara Bush this Saturday on behalf of the First Family,” the statement read. “To avoid disruptions due to added security, and out of respect for the Bush Family and friends attending the service, President Trump will not attend.” [custom_adv] Nostalgic, because of my many ties to the White House and the Republican Party that the family of President George H.W. Bush represents. [custom_adv] I served as an intern in the White House Press Office, and my politically moderate parents were avid Republican Party activists, fund raisers and convention delegates. [custom_adv] [custom_adv] Of course, this was when the GOP welcomed a cross section of views and backgrounds, and when it was common for the Republicans and Democrats to work together on the key matters of the day. [custom_adv] Added to that is my interest in presidential history. I love to see the gatherings that bring together former presidents and First Ladies, from library and museum openings to conferences, to sadly, funerals. [custom_adv] I figured there would be ample opportunity at Mrs. Bush’s funeral for views of the former occupants of the White House to be photographed together. [custom_adv] And, the photo that appears to be front and center is one taken by Paul Morse, who was a White House photographer during the George W. Bush administration. (He now specializes in weddings.) [custom_adv] The photo, taken behind the scenes in what seems to be an events room, shows four former presidents — both Presidents Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. They are accompanied by Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, and Melania Trump, who attended the funeral without her husband, President Donald Trump.
news boxnewsbox
