November 30th, 2018 marks the death of the forty-first president of the United States of America.

George H. W. Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts. By the time he was eighteen, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, fighting in World War II from 1942 to 1945. He quickly became the youngest pilot in the Navy in 1943 and fought in 58 combat missions during the war. After he was discharged in 1945, he went on to enroll in Yale University, earning a degree in economics. Shortly after graduating, he decided to move to Texas where he began his political career as the Republican Party chairman. He ran for everything from Senate to House of Representatives to Vice President, before becoming the 41st President in 1988.

Although Bush only served for one term, he handled many foreign affairs issues including the fall of the Soviet Union and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Even after his presidency, he continued to help the nation by uniting forces with Bill Clinton, who defeated him in his presidential race for a second term, to form a Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund.

Bush faced many health issues beginning in 2012, when he was hospitalized for bronchitis-related issues and was later discovered to have developed lower-body Parkinsonism, which left him in a wheel-chair. In the following years, the President was in and out of hospitals with various health issues until his death at age 94 on November 30th at 10:10 pm, making him the longest living President. His cause of death has not been officially realized but it is speculated that his untimely passing is due to the rare form of Vascular Parkinson’s that he suffered.

George H. W. Bush, although born in Massachusetts, was a true Texan and patriot. He lived most of his life in Houston, frequently visiting sporting events, like the Houston Astros, and even making an appearance at the Super Bowl LI in NRG Stadium in 2017. He provided a great service to his country through his time in the military and through his presidency. His funeral will be held on Wednesday, December 5, 2018, and many influential world leaders are expected to attend. As First Lady Michelle Obama said in a Twitter statement, “[we celebrate] President George H. W. Bush’s exemplary life.”