I once heard it said of man that the idea is to die young as late as possible
at age 85 a favorite pastime of George HW Bush was firing up his boat the
fidelity and opening up the three 300 horsepower engines to fly joyfully fly
across the Atlantic with the Secret Service boats straining to keep up at
age 90 George HW Bush parachuted out of an
aircraft and landed on the grounds of st. Anne's by the sea in Kennebunkport
Maine the church where his mom was married and where he worshiped often
more like to say he chose the location just in case the chute didn't open
in his 90s he took great delight when his closest pal James a baker smuggled a
bottle of Grey Goose vodka into his hospital room
apparently it paired well with the state Baker had delivered from Morton's
to his very last days dad's life was instructive as he aged he taught us how
to grow with dignity humor and kindness and when the good Lord finally called
how to meet him with courage and with the joy of the promise of what lies
ahead one reason dad knew how to die young is that he almost did it twice
when he was a teenager a staph infection nearly took his life
few years later he was alone in the Pacific on a life raft praying that his
rescuers would find him before the enemy did God answered those prayers it turned
out he had other plans for George HW Bush for dance part I think those
brushes with death meeting cherished the gift of life and he vowed to live every
day to the fullest dad was always busy a man in constant motion but never too
busy to share his love of life with those around him he taught us to love
the outdoors he loved watching dogs flusher cubby
he loved landing the elusive striper and once confined to a wheelchair he seemed
happy a sitting in his favorite perch on the back porch at walkers point
contemplating the majesty of the Atlantic that horizons he saw were
bright and hopeful he was a genuinely optimistic man and that optimism guided
his children and made each of us believe that anything was possible
he continually broaden his horizons with daring decisions he was a patriot after
high school he put College on hold and became a Navy fighter pilot as world war
ii broke out like many of his generation he never talked about his service until
his time as a public figure forced his hand we learned of the attack on chichi
Jima the mission completed they'll shoot down we learned the death
of his crewmates whom he thought about throughout his entire life and we
learned of the rescue and then another audacious decision
he moved his young family from the comforts of the East Coast to Odessa
Texas he and mom adjusted to their arid surroundings quickly
he's a tolerant man after all he was kind and neighborly to the women with
whom he mom and I shared a bathroom in our small duplex even after you learned
their profession ladies of the night
that could relate to people from all walks of life
he was an empathetic man he valued character over pedigree and he was no
cynic he looked for the good in each person and he usually found it dad
taught us that public service is noble and necessary that one can serve with
integrity and hold true to the important values like faith and family he strongly
believed that it was important to give back to the community and country in
which one lived he recognized as serving others enriched the giver soul to us his
was the brightest of a thousand points of light in victory he shared credit
when he lost he shouldered the blame he accepted that failure is a part of
living a full life but taught us never to be defined by failure he showed us
how setbacks can strengthen none of his disappointments could compare with one
of life's greatest tragedies the loss of a young child Jeb and I were too young
to remember the pain and agony he and mom felt when our three-year-old sister
died we only learned later that Dad a man of quiet faith prayed for her daily
he was sustained by the love of the Almighty and the real and enduring love
of her mom dad always believed that one day he would hug his precious Robin
again he loved to laugh especially at himself he could tease a needle but
never out of malice he placed great value on a good joke so I chose Simpson
to speak
Oh an email he had a circle of friends with whom he shared or received the
latest jokes his grading system for the quality of the joke was classic George
Bush the rare sevens and eights were considered huge winners
most of them off-color George Bush knew how to be a true and loyal friend he
nurtured and honored many his many friendships with a generous in giving
soul there exists thousands of handwritten notes encouraging or
sympathizing or thanking his friends and acquaintances he had an enormous
capacity to give of himself many a person would tell you that dad became a
mentor and a father figure in their life he listened and he consoled he was their
friend I think if Don Rhodes Taylor Blanton Jim
Nantz Arnold Schwarzenegger and perhaps the unlikeliest of all the man who
defeated him Bill Clinton my siblings and I refer to
the guys in this group as brothers from other mothers he taught us that a day
was not meant to be wasted he played golf at a legendary pace I always wonder
why I insisted on speed golf he's a good golfer well here's my conclusion he
played fast so he can move on to the next event to enjoy the rest of the day
to expend his enormous energy to live at all he was born with just two settings
full throttle then sleep
taught us what it means to be a wonderful father a grandfather and
great-grandfather he was firm in his principles and supportive as we began to
seek her own ways he encouraged and comforted but never steered we tested
his patience I know I did but he always responded with the great
gift of unconditional love last Friday when I was told he had minister live I
called him the guy answered the phone said he I think he can hear you but he
hadn't said anything for most of the day I said dad I love you and you've been a
wonderful father and the last words he would ever say on earth were I love you
too to us seem as close to perfect but not totally perfect his short game was
lousy he wasn't exactly Fred Astaire on the dance floor the man couldn't stomach
vegetables especially broccoli
and by the way he passed these genetic defects along to us
finally every day of a 73 years of marriage dad taught us all what it means
to be a great husband he married a sweetheart
he adored her he laughed and cried with her he was dedicated to her totally in
his old age dad enjoyed watching police show reruns the volume on high
all the while Holdings mom's hand after mom died dad was strong but all he
really wanted to do was hold mom's hand again of course dad taught me another
special lesson he showed me what it means to be a president who serves with
integrity leads with courage and acts with love in his heart for the citizens
of our country when the history books are written they will say that George HW
Bush was a great president of the United States a diplomat of unmanned skill a
commander-in-chief of formidable accomplishment and a gentleman who
executed the duties of his office with dignity and honor in his inaugural
address the 41st president of the United States said this we cannot hope only to
leave our children a bigger car a bigger bank account we must hope to give them a
sense of what it means to be a loyal friend a loving parent a citizen who
leaves his home his neighborhood and town better than he found it what do we
want the men and women who work with us to save when we are no longer there that
we were more driven to succeed than anyone around us or that we stopped to
ask of a sick child had gotten better and stayed a moment there to trade a
word of friendship well dad we're going to remember you for exactly that and
much more and we're going to miss you your decency sincerity and kind soul
will stay with us forever so through our tears let us know the blessings of
knowing and loving you a great and noble man the best father a son or daughter
could have and in our grief but a smile knowing that dad is hugging Robin
and holding mom's hand again