Barbara Pierce and George H. W. Bush met as teenagers at a Christmas dance in Greenwich and became engaged while he served in World War II. They married on January 6, 1945, and had six children, one of whom, their daughter Robin, died of leukemia in 1953. Barbara served as Second Lady and then First Lady while her husband held national office, and she was noted for her advocacy of literacy. The couple remained married until Barbara's death in 2018.
- How they met
- They met at a Christmas dance at the Greenwich Country Club in December 1941 when he asked a friend to introduce them; they courted, corresponded while he served in the Navy, and became engaged in December 1943.
- Children
- Six children: George W. Bush; Robin Bush (died 1953); Jeb Bush; Neil Bush; Marvin Bush; Dorothy Bush