She was from a prominent family.
Born in Rye, New York, June 8, 1925, she was the daughter of Pauline Robinson Pierce, whose father was an Ohio Supreme Court justice, and Marvin Pierce, president of McCall Corp., according to The New York Times and The Complete Book of Presidents, by William A. DeGregorio and Sandra Lee Stuart, (Barricade Books; 2013).
She held an historic distinction.
Only one other first lady, Abigail Adams, was both the wife of a president and the mother of a president. John Adams was the second president; John Quincy Adams was the sixth president.While technically traditional, she was also outspoken.
She was the mother of not only George W. and Jeb but also four other children, Neil M. Bush (1955-), Marvin P. Bush (1956-), Dorothy W. Bush (1959- ) and Pauline Robinson “Robin” Bush, who died from leukemia in 1953 at 3 years old.She was a bestselling author.
And yes, she wrote an autobiography. But readers most remember the children’s book she wrote Millie's Book, (Harper Perennial; 1992) about her English Springer Spaniel.
She was a proud grandmother.
She described her image “everybody’s grandmother.” She freely admitted that she wore fake pearls to "conceal a wrinkled neck," according to The Complete Book of Presidents. "She grew weary of suggestions that she resume dying her hair, as she did not between ages 35 and 45, preferring to age naturally."
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