>> THEY MET AT A DANCE WHEN THEY WERE TEENAGERS.
WERE TEENAGERS. EIGHT DECADES AND THEY ARE AN
INSPIRATION, NOT JUST FOR THEIR
FAMILY BUT FOR GENERATIONS OF
AMERICANS.
THEY ARE THE LONGEST MARRIED
COUPLE IN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORY.
THE LOVE STORY SPANNING SEVEN
DECADES.
BARBARA PIERCE MET HER
HUSBAND-TO-BE GEORGE BUSH AT A
SCHOOL DANCE.
>> I WOULD HARDLY BREATHE I
THOUGHT HE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL.
>> Reporter: ON THEIR FIRST DATE, GEORGE STRATEGICALLYT
DATE, GEORGE STRATEGICALLY BORROWED A CAR.
>> HE TOLD ME, I GOT THE
OLDSMOBILE BECAUSE IT HAD A
RADIO.
AND I WAS AFRAID WE WOULD HAVE
NOTHING TO SAY TO EACH OTHER.
>> Reporter: TURNS OUT, THEY HAD
A LOT TO SAY.
>> DECEMBER 12th, 1943, MY DARLING, BAR, THIS SHOULD BE AN
EASY LETTER TO WRITE.
>> Reporter: THE COURTSHIP
PLAYED OUT IN THE SHADOW OF THE
YOUNG NAVY PILOTS CALL OF DUTY. THE LOVE LETTERS THEY SHARED,Y.
THE LOVE LETTERS THEY SHARED, ALL THE MORE PRECIOUS TODAY.
>> GOOD NIGHT, MY BEAUTIFUL. EVERY TIME I SAY BEAUTIFUL, YOU
ABOUT KILL ME BUT YOU HAVE TO
ACCEPT IT.
ACCEPT IT.
>> Reporter: THEIR LETTERS WERE FULL OF ROMANCE, LONGING ANDERE
FULL OF ROMANCE, LONGING AND PROMISE.
PROMISE.
THE TWO WERE MARRIED IN 1945 WHEN THE GROOM WAS ON LEAVE FROM
THE WAR.
THE WAR.
>> I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART.
AND TO KNOW YOU LOVE ME MEANS MY LIFE.O KNOW YOU LOVE ME MEANS MY
LIFE.
>> Reporter: SOON, THEY WOULD BE
TOGETHER FOR GOOD AND START A
FAMILY.
>> IN ALL MODESTY, NO MOTHER WAS
EVER MORE BLESSED THAN WE ARE. WE HAVE GREAT CHILDREN.WE ARE.
WE HAVE GREAT CHILDREN. >> Reporter: THE LOYAL COUPLE
REARING FIVE CHILDREN, THE PROUD
GRANDPARENTS OF 17.
THE GROWING FAMILY, AN IMMENSE
SOURCE OF PRIDE.
>> BEING MARRIED TO GEORGE BUSH
HAS NEVER BEEN BORING.
>> Reporter: FROM CONGRESS, TO
THE GIANTS,UNITED NATIONS, THE C
THAT TOOK THEM TO THE WHITE
HOUSE.
HOUSE.
>> ONE OF THE MOST THE MOST
IMPORTANT DECISIONS OF MY LIFE,
TO MARRY GEORGE BUSH, IS BECAUSE HE MADE ME LAUGH.USH, IS BECAUSE
HE MADE ME LAUGH. ITS TRUE, SOMETIMES WE LAUGH
THROUGH OUR TEARS.
BUT THAT SHAREDDD LAUGHTER HAS
BEEN ONE OF THE STRONGEST BONDS.
FIND THE JOY IN LIFE.
AS FERRIS BEULER SAID ON HIS DAY
OFF, LIFE MOVES PRETTY FAST.
IF YOU DONT STOP AND LOOK
AROUND WUNLS IN AONCE IN A WHILE
GOING TO MISS IT.
>> Reporter: BARBARA WAS
GEORGES BIGGEST FAN.
ADVOCATING FOR HIS RE-ELECTION.
>> YOU MAKE ME FEEL WONDERFUL.
I ALWAYS FEEL WONDERFUL WHEN I
TALK ABOUT THE STRONGEST, THE
MOST DECENT, THE MOST CARING,
THE WISEST, YES, AND THE
HEALTHIEST MAN I KNOW.
>> Reporter: THOUGH HE LOST THE
SECOND TERM, BARBARA JOKED HE
HAD OTHER SKILLS, TOO.
>> HES THE BEST LITTLE
DISHWASHER IN THE STATE OF
TEXAS.
TEXAS.
>> Reporter: THEIR DYNAMIC WAS PLAYFUL.ter: THEIR DYNAMIC WAS
PLAYFUL.
THE FORMER PRESIDENT JOKING HIS WAS HIS WIFES SECOND KISS.G HIS
WAS HIS WIFES SECOND KISS.
>> WENHEN WE TELL OUR CHILDREN, NEVER KNEW I WAS THE FIRST GIRL
YOU EVER KISSED.
WHEN I TOLD THEM YOU WERE THE
FIRST PERSON I EVER KISSED.
>> I WAS THE SECOND, DARLING.
HAVEN ABBOTT.
HAVEN ABBOTT.
>> OH, HE WAS NOT. >> Reporter: AND AS THEY GREW
OLD TOGETHER, THEIR LOVE STORY
ENDURED THE TEST OF TIME.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE ROLE OF
HUSBAND?
HUSBAND?
WHATS IT BEEN LIKE BEING MARRIED TO GANY?KE BEING
MARRIED TO GANY? >> A CHALLENGE AND A REWARD.
IN THE FAMILY, SHE CALLS ALL OF
THE SHOTS.
THE SHOTS.
>> SHE BROUGHT YOU KIDS.
>> MANY KIDS.
AND TOGETHER WE REJOICE IN
GRANDKIDS.
THAT PART IS WONDERFUL.
>> Reporter: EACH FACED HEALTH
CHALLENGES WITH GRACE AND FORTITUDE. WITH GRACE AND
FORTITUDE.
PRESIDENT BUSH IN RECENT YEARS
WAS CONFINED TO A WHEELCHAIR. THEY SUPPORTED THEIR HOMETOWN
TEAMS.
TEAMS. ANSWERING THE HOUSTON TEXANS
KISS CAM CALL.
AND SURPRISING US MOST OF ALL,
TWO YEARS AGO, BOTH WERE
ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL,
PRESIDENT BUSH GRAVELY ILL,
MRS. BUSH VERY SICK HERSELF,
REFUSED TO LEAVE HER HUSBANDS
SIDE.
SIDE.
THEN, JUST WEEKS LATER, SUPER BOWL GUESTS FEW COULD HAVEPER
BOWL GUESTS FEW COULD HAVE PREDICTED.
PREDICTED.
>> AND HELP US WELCOME TWO VERY
SPECIAL GUESTS. >> Reporter: THE STADIUM ON ITS
FEET TO HONOR THE DEVOTED
COUPLE.
COUPLE.
AND JUST WEEKS AGO, THE FORMER
FIRST LADY TELLING HER ALMA
MATER SMITH COLLEGE, IM STILL
OLD AND STILL IN LOVE WITH THE
MAN I MARRIED 72 YEARS AGO. THE LOVE STORY ENDING AS IT
BEGAN, WITH SO MUCH TO SAY.
>> LITTLE DID I KNOW I WAS ONLY
TRYING TO KEEP UP.
KEEP UP WITH BARBARA PIERCE, IN