Cathedral mourns the loss of former first lady Barbara Bush

Washington, D.C. — The Very Rev. Randolph ‘Randy’ Marshall Hollerith, dean of Washington National Cathedral, released the following statement and offered a prayer on the death of First Lady Barbara Bush.  

“Washington National Cathedral joins the nation in mourning the loss of former First Lady Barbara Bush, and we extend our heartfelt prayers to President George H.W. Bush and President George W. Bush and the entire Bush family in their time of sorrow,” said Dean Hollerith.

“As a wife, mother and grandmother, she became in many ways a beloved matriarch to Americans from all walks of life, and she enriched the lives of everyone she touched with compassion, humor and graciousness.

“Through her work on literacy, Mrs. Bush became among the brightest of the ‘thousand points of light,’ serving as an example in her husband’s initiative to extend volunteerism and community engagement. She was a living example of faithfulness, both to her family and to the nation, always facing adversity with grace and courage. Her 73-year marriage to her beloved husband remains a shining example of lifelong love nurtured by selfless devotion and affection.”

Mrs. Bush was a longtime friend of Washington National Cathedral, attending countless services and state occasions, including the 1990 celebration when the final stone was set atop the Cathedral tower. A lifetime Episcopalian, Mrs. Bush exemplified the values of her favorite scripture, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

“I have great respect for people of other faiths who believe in a greater being and live a life that is based on kindness and generosity,” she said in a 2012 interview with Cathedral Age magazine.

“Together with all the saints in glory, we give thanks for the life of Barbara Pierce Bush and pray that the gates of heaven will be opened wide to this kind and generous child of God.”

“Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant Barbara. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.”

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