With loved ones by her side, Barbara Bush passed away holding the hand of her husband, President George H.W. Bush. She touched the lives of so many. When news broke that the former first lady passed away Tuesday evening, country stars took to social media.

Faith Hill

Reba McEntire

Brad and Kimberly Paisley

I first met Barbara Bush when she and George invited us to their home in Kennebunkport for lunch in July of 2011. Brad had a show nearby, and so our family piled into the tour bus and drove out to their expansive waterfront property. Within minutes of meeting us, Barbara handed my-four-year old her camera and told him to take some pictures of the day for her. She struck me as sharp, funny, feisty. I liked her immediately. She had no problem gently admonishing my children for stomping in a puddle during a tour of the grounds. She and George shared stories about their children and she talked about her time as First Lady. My last memory of that day was watching Barbara at the edge of her front steps cringing and waving as Brad’s bus driver spent a good ten minutes trying to navigate the giant tour bus out of their narrow driveway without ruining her colorful peonies. I hope we only crushed a couple. The bus didn’t have a window to roll down, so all I could do from the front seat was wave back and shrug and hope she understood my feeble apology. Luckily, we were invited for lunch a few times after that, so that was not the last time I saw the Bushes. When I wrote my book in 2016, I sent Barbara a copy and was amazed that not only did she read it almost immediately, she sent me an extensive hand-written note. I’m grateful to have known such a formidable and classy woman. I’m sending love to her dear husband, President Bush, and the extended Bush family tonight. May she rest in the peace that passes all understanding.

A post shared by Kimberly Williams-Paisley (@kimberlywilliamspaisley) on


And Loretta Lynn

Many more prayers and thoughts of love have bee sent to the Bush family!

~ Ryan

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