The passing of Barbara Bush turns a page in history. She is celebrated as one of only two women in the history of our nation to be husband of a US President and mother of a President, but she was much more than that. If there is any single word that I could use to describe her I would call her dignified. She was a confidant to her husband George Bush in his remarkable and lengthy service to America as a Navy pilot, ambassador, congressman, vice president and president. And she was guiding light to her son George W. Bush. Having so much of her life in the political fish bowl is not easy, but she did it with ease and dignity. Her work on behalf of literacy and helping AIDS sufferers was carried on without fanfare or to call attention to herself – only to showcase the causes she truly believed in. Mrs. Bush demonstrated all the positive attributes we want in American women. She was a fierce defender of her family – often fending off the mean spirited attacks that are now the norm in politics. She had a marvelous, biting wit that let you know when she was displeased without having to resort to vulgarities. In a family of many accomplished men she was the woman — the glue that held her family together. I love her oft noted quote laying out the boundaries of her relationship with her husband:

I believe Barbara Bush is a terrific role model for woman of any time or age. She served her roles as mother, wife and First Lady with unequalled class and dignity — and just the right amount of feistiness to let you know that she was not going to sit quietly in the corner when she had something important to say. With her passing goes an era in American history that may not be seen again.