George W. Bush says his mother 'kept us laughing until the end'


Former first lady Barbara Bush died Tuesday at age 92, and she's being remembered by two of her sons, former President George W. Bush and former Florida governor Jeb Bush, as a "gracious" and "gregarious" woman who "kept us on our toes."
"Laura, Barbara, Jenna, and I are sad, but our souls are settled because we know hers was," George W. Bush said in a statement. "Barbara Bush was a fabulous first lady and a woman unlike any other who brought levity, love, and literacy to millions. To us, she was so much more. Mom kept us on our toes and kept us laughing until the end. I'm a lucky man that Barbara Bush was my mother. Our family will miss her dearly, and we thank you all for your prayers and good wishes."
In his own statement, Jeb Bush echoed these sentiments, calling his mother's life "remarkable," adding: "I'm exceptionally privileged to be the son of George Bush and the exceptionally gracious, gregarious, fun, funny, loving, tough, smart, graceful woman who was the force of nature known as Barbara Bush. Thank you for your prayers, and we look forward to celebrating and honoring her life and contributions to our family and great nation in the coming days."
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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