Lady Bird Johnson Has Died

Lady Bird (Claudia Alta Taylor) Johnson was the oldest living former First Lady before her death this afternoon in Austin. The widow of LBJ will be fondly remembered for her love and work for the environment (promoting the highway beautification bill, raising money for Town Lake Park, and co-founding a national wildflower center). She had not been in top health since her first stroke in the early '90s, but still made rare public appearances around town.

The Johnson family is asking that any memorial donations be given to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

[PBS: Lady Bird - program notes from a 2001 biographical film]
[White House Biography of Lady Bird Johnson]
[NPR: Former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson Dies]

Painting from White House website

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By Elizabeth S. in News on July 11, 2007 5:15 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

guest

It's amazing that she did so much coming out of Karnak. There's not a lot out there. I don't think they even have a high school football team. It's a really poor and culturally barren little section of Texas.

Bre

Wow, Wes. Usually I wouldn't comment about a completely ridiculous remark like yours, but that was truly ignorance at its worst.

guest

Here's someone who remembers her for something other than flowers:

http://commonsense.ourfuture.org/lady_bird_gone

tim

Planted flowers? More like created a revolution whereby people don't think flowers are only annuals that are grown in greenhouses, and created pride in local plants and in preserving natural fauna. She also made sure that US roadsides are covered in blooming flowers and native grasses rather than advertising. You benefit from what she did every day even if you don't notice it. How many politician's wives can you say that about?

guest

And your crowning accomplishment, Wes? Besides being a complete ass, I mean?

guest

Even if Lady Bird's ONLY achievement was turning the trash-laden, bum-camp shoreline of the Colorado into our beloved Hike and Bike trail, that would be deserving of infinite thanks. Anyone in the know understands that was one of many, many things we owe to her. The very concept of WHY people love that trail is just part of her legacy: the cypress trees, the sea oats and turk's cap lining the trail, the wildflower meadow on 1st, the armadillo digging up grubs -- it's Austin, it provides us a sense of place.

guest

Wes, you're obviously too young to remember much.

Anyhow, I work in the building where that painting hangs. A truly somber day it has been. Austin will miss you Lady Bird!