HOUSTON (AFP) – Past Presidents, family, and friends came together Saturday to bid a tearful farewell to Barbara Bush, the matriarch of one of America’s most prominent political dynasties, at her funeral in Texas.
Bush, who died Tuesday aged 92, was wife to the 41st US President and mother to the 43rd. She was remembered for her friendship, her wit, and her strength.
The invitation-only service at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston was attended by four former Presidents – George H.W. Bush – Barbara’s husband of 73 years; their son George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, as well as other former senior officials.
First Lady Melania Trump attended but her husband President Donald Trump did not, with the White House saying his decision to stay in Washington was taken “to avoid disruptions due to added security.”
“My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Bush family,” the President wrote on Twitter, saying he planned to watch the funeral ceremony.
