America lost one of her most cherished treasures with the passing of former First Lady Barbara Bush.

Earlier in the week, news feeds were filled with reports that Mrs. Bush declined further medical treatment to spend her final days in comfort care.

In other words, enough was enough.

Barbara Bush holds an especially dear place in the hearts and history books of Texas because she spent most of her life here.

She met George H.R. Bush at the age of 16, fell in love, and they married. Together they reared six children and Barbara campaigned with her husband along the roads of Texas while remaining the stereotypical political wife, at her husband’s side, wearing a smile and heels.

She exuded warmth and calm and appeared to be everyone’s mother and grandmother, roles she whole-heartedly embraced according to her children and grandchildren.

Her signature pearls became a fashion statement, but she admitted she started wearing them to hide the way her neck was aging.

Brutal honesty, we came to realize, was a trademark for Barbara.

I remember seeing a video of the first time Barbara met Hillary Clinton as the new incoming First Lady. George had lost a bitter run for the presidency to Bill Clinton, and it was time for Hillary to come in as the new lady of the White House.

Barbara graciously welcomed Hillary, pointed to the news people and cautioned the new First Lady to avoid them at all costs.

She gave her replacement some great advice and got a jab in to the press at the same time. She did all of that with a smile.

Most First Ladies take up a cause, and Barbara was no exception. She chose literacy, believing that being able to read, write and understand would help cure many of the problems society faced.

She was good to her word – she wrote many books, including a best seller about the Bush’s dog Millie, and tirelessly campaigned to help people learn how to read.

After visiting the Bush Presidential Library in College Station last year, I came away with a greater appreciation for both of the Bushes and thought that Barbara might very well be the last First Lady whose career was in the shadows of her husband’s.

But then I realized that Barbara stood in no one’s shadow.

She did what she thought was the best and right thing to do, and she publicly supported women who made difficult choices to do what they thought was right.

No matter how one feels about the Bush’s politics, there’s no denying that Barbara Bush was a dignified and beloved First Lady.

She shared her husband for decades with this country, and she watched her sons volunteer to serve their country.

I admired her as a First Lady, as a champion of a cause also dear to my heart and as someone who learned to play a politician’s game and, ultimately win at that game.

She will be buried in College Station next to her daughter, Robin, who passed away at the age of 3 from leukemia.

Barbara Bush endured happiness, tragedy and sorrow and came through knowing that family, faith and friends were the most important treasures in one’s life.

There’s one of her sayings I’ve always loved:

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

I have a feeling that the indomitable Barbara Bush passed away with few regrets.

 

This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.