Two former US presidents and five first ladies have paid a final tribute to Lady Bird Johnson, remembered for her uncanny ability to calm her restless husband, former President Lyndon Johnson.
Speaking at her funeral in Texas, former Johnson White House aide Bill Moyers said her shy demeanour and grace cloaked a formidable influence on the colourful president at a time of great tumult and uncertainty.
"He needed her," he said.
"Lady Bird truly loved the man she often found impossible.
"She often found herself in the path of his Vesuvius eruptions."
The widow of the former leader, nee Claudia Alta Taylor, died on Thursday at the age of 94.
She was known by the nickname Lady Bird since childhood.
Her husband, who was elected vice-president in 1960, took over the White House when President John F Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas in 1963.
Former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter were among those who attended her funeral in Austin.
The Photograph above, which was included with the ABC News (Australia) story that I quoted, reveals that Bishop Emeritus John McCarthy of the Diocese of Austin was one of the presiding clergy at Lady Bird Johnson's funeral.
"[She]truly loved the man she often found impossible.
"She often found herself in the path of his Vesuvius eruptions."
This is exactly what they'll say at my funeral!
Posted by: Mrs. Deacon DW | July 15, 2007 at 05:06 PM
ROFL!
Hello, Mrs. DDW :-)
That's the darnedest thing, isn't it? Although it has long been apparent to us what Mrs. DDW sees and loves, truly we so trust long-lasting, long suffering, and/or simply loyal love, that we are then caused to wonder what goldenness this one's or that one's spouse sees that we might not (Johnson, Reagan, Bush, Trump, Clinton, Lennon, Osbourne...)
Posted by: CO | July 16, 2007 at 08:54 AM
I'm coming to this late, but it was well worth it, Mrs. Deacon DW. :)
Posted by: Gabrielle | July 22, 2007 at 09:17 PM