by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"
... that I watched most of the funeral for the late Barbara Bush, not because I was a fan, but because of her position as wife of one president and mother of another.
She was unique in that respect, even though the same was true of Abigail Adams. But it is my understanding that Barbara was alone in being alive for both, because Abigail died before her son took office.
There were several reasons why I stayed with the program.
For one, I was captivated by the huge, highly ornate Episcopalian church where the funeral was held.
I am not familiar with the Episcopal religion. So I was unprepared for how “at home” this life-long Roman Catholic seemed to feel while “attending” the funeral. Many of the prayers were the same and came at the same time of the ceremony familiar to me.