07/11/2007

Lady Bird Johnson, Former First Lady, Has Died at 94

Former first lady Lady Bird Johnson, wife of 36th President Lyndon Johnson, has died at 94 after a brief hospital stay.

A brief note on one of her achievements, via the Human Flower Project:

"You don’t hear the word 'beautification' anymore. There aren’t any more idle groups of white ladies in white gloves. But in fact, Mrs. Johnson’s efforts—whatever they were once called—streamed into present-day environmentalism and conservation. 'After President Johnson left office, Mrs. Johnson continued to be a champion of environmental initiatives. In 1982, she founded the National Wildflower Research Center (now the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center), and in 1987, she helped add the native wildflower requirement as an amendment to the Surface Transportation Urban Relocation Authorization Act.' Now, native wildflower seeds or seedlings must be planted in landscaping all federal highways projects."

Surely something most can appreciate.

Posted 5:56 PM EST by Andy in Deaths, Democratic Party, News | Permalink

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Comments

1. I'm from central Texas and always appreciated the landscaping along the highways. If you drive across the Texas border, the difference along the highway is almost immediate.

   My brother was also married at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. It was beautiful.

   If only all people and politicians from Texas could be as great...

   Posted by: Nathan | Jul 11, 2007 6:17:22 PM

   
   

2. From a fellow Texan, Godspeed Ladybird. You were one class act.

   Posted by: Blair | Jul 11, 2007 6:25:11 PM

   
   

3. The very definition of grace and class. What an amazing lady.

   Posted by: Becks07 | Jul 11, 2007 6:28:49 PM

   
   

4. Perhaps Miz Laura has a thing or two to learn from her Texan predecessor.

   Posted by: woodroad34 | Jul 11, 2007 6:38:40 PM

   
   

5. Gay men the world over are saying "thank you Lady Bird"
   for the Lady Bird Johnson Memorial Grove, Washington, DC's version of London's Hampstead Heath.

   Posted by: zabadak | Jul 11, 2007 6:59:15 PM

   
   

6. I had the opportunity to meet her over 15 years ago. I talked to her for only for a few minutes, but I will always remember them. A very classy and gracious lady.

   Posted by: TJ | Jul 11, 2007 7:03:37 PM

   
   

7. oh yeah the flowers are fine honey, but I remember when the great Eartha Kitt was invited to tea with Lady Bird and her friends and La Kitt read everybody's beads telling them how could they just sit there and enjoy tea and crumpets while people were dying in Vietman... oh it was quite a scandal my dears and of course they blacklisted her all over the country and she had to go to Europe for work.. but it makes me wonder who among our Hollywood celebrities would have the balls to do that today?

   Posted by: queer | Jul 11, 2007 7:41:00 PM

   
   

8. I bet Eartha Kitt isn't shedding any tears.......

   Posted by: MONKEYBOY | Jul 11, 2007 8:29:29 PM

   
   

9. funny, you can toss a few flowers and some beads at a gay guy and he'll swoon faster than you can say "she so classy"...of course the eartha kitt reference is lost on most of them or easily dismissed because most gay men envision themselves wearing white gloves, planting flowers and sipping lemonade...despite the fact that most of those who do, completely despise gay men and all they represent....we totally deserve the treatment we get....but at least we have "the pretty flowers".......that seems fair.

   Posted by: marty | Jul 11, 2007 10:21:37 PM

   
   

10. The wildflower idea was pretty good. I still don't know why they mow the center medians so much though. Who's going to complain if they don't?

    Posted by: anon (gmail.com) | Jul 11, 2007 11:41:52 PM

    
    

11. I was born in Texas and lived there for much of my life and all of my family still lives there. To me Lady Bird represented the best of what Texas could be. I think almost everyone thought of her that way. Her hand was in so many of that state's best institutions and legacies.

    Fields of bluebonnets will quietly sing her praises for a long time to come.

    God's rest, sweet Lady.

    Posted by: John | Jul 12, 2007 1:08:19 AM

    
    

12. to "Queer" and "Marty": you guys should not project your sensebilities. history veiwed through alcohol eyes does not pass muster. the johnsons had nothing to do with Eartha being blacklisted. in fact, johnson did more to advance civil rights than any other president. Why do you guys think "bithcy" is attractive?

    Posted by: nic | Jul 12, 2007 6:07:19 AM

    
    

13. America has lost some SERIOUSLY great hair.

    Posted by: Chaq | Jul 12, 2007 6:33:54 AM

    
    

14. I managed a bookstore in DC while I was in college and Mrs. Johnson used to come in from time to time. She was very nice but she would always try and bargain with me on prices of bargain books. Too funny.

    Posted by: Larry | Jul 12, 2007 7:24:12 AM

    
    

15. My only memory of Lady Bird comes from a Whoopi Goldberg routine.. as she did her "high falutin' white lady voice" "Nobody Fucked with The Bird... the Bird said "Lyndon.. I want daffodils and tulips and daffodils and tulips on these old nasty highways.." heh.

    Posted by: Darren | Jul 12, 2007 8:43:53 AM

    
    

16. Enough with the snarky comments. This was one classy Dame! Even Miss Kitt I assume appreciates the Civil Rights Act, no?

    Posted by: Brett-O | Jul 12, 2007 8:45:10 AM

    
    

17. I agree with the other Texans in that we receive a beautiful gift along our highways each spring because of Lady Bird. The picture above is a great representation of what you see for miles and miles along our highways both urban and rural. The bluebonnets here in Dallas are awesome to see each spring.

    Posted by: Matt | Jul 12, 2007 9:41:17 AM

    
    

18. Lady Bird was a great and gracious lady and will be missed. Texas has the most amazing display of wildflowers and the most beautiful highways, thanks to her. The wildflower center is an important institution. Lady Bird practically invented xeriscaping, and certainly first popularized it. This is a form of landscaping focusing on native plants to save water and other resources.

    Posted by: sam | Jul 12, 2007 9:55:58 AM

    
    

19. NPR had a great piece about Mrs. Johnson on All Things Considered yesterday evening.
    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11890358

    Posted by: David in KC | Jul 12, 2007 10:08:39 AM

    
    

20. Actually history has proven that Ladybird was actually responsible for Eartha getting blacklisted from Hollywood.

    Also alot of people are talking how it was infact Johnson, who was responsible for JFK's death, because JFK wanted to end the Viet Nam war, and Johnson had relationships with Weapons Industries.

    History does in fact repeat itself.
    

    Posted by: traffick | Jul 12, 2007 12:55:20 PM

    
    

21. Zabadak, why must we always take things down to the lowest common denominator? Why is it always about sex? And deviant sex, at that?

    Queer, I guess you've never heard of Susan Sarandon or Barbra Streisand, to name just two of Hollywood's moonbats?

    Marty, you make great pontifications about who hates all gay men and what we represent. But, I see no statistics or data to support your claims. Anecdotal evidence is just that, anecdotal. It is not proof.

    Nic, accusing those you disagree with of being alcoholics doesn't really float your discourse very well. However, you're right about the bitchy factor. Why do so many gay men resort to this? I believe it is because they cannot support their ideas any other way.

    Larry, she probably bargained with you because neither she nor Lyndon grew up in the wealth that most modern presidents have, Clinton excepted. As members of the Depression generation, that's what they did. Even as President, the Johnson's would not be considered wealthy by today's standards, much less those of the 1960s. Great story!

    Traffick, please provide a link or some proof to your claim. I don't doubt you, but on the other hand, to make such commentary it should be backed up by hard evidence. Plus, I'd like to read the story.

    Lady Bird Johnson, while a more-retiring type than First Ladies after her, was a true class act. I'm lucky enough to have a handwritten letter from her from when I used to sell to the National Wildflower Research Center. She had asked for a copy of an out-of-print book (in the days before amazon and alibris) and I managed to find one for her on a shelf in our offices. Not only that, she did more for this country than certainly Pat Nixon, Roslyn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, and Laura Bush ever did. The only one who compares is Betty Ford, thanks to her openness about both alcoholism and breast cancer.

    Posted by: Kamasutra Jones | Jul 12, 2007 2:02:36 PM

    
    

22. you're right Kamasutra Jones, how can i possibly think that ALL wealthy politically powerful people who were in power in the 60's were against us...and i'm sure that ALL republicans are not against us....for that matter, All muslims certainly are not against us and ALL the catholics would certainly never go against us.....grow up...if you're that "literal" then it's just a front for stupidity....obviously there hasn't been one political dynasty or powerful political family of that ilk that has every done a damn for gay people....ooops, i forgot good ol' Ted Kennedy....(you can all talk amongst yourselves now)

    Posted by: marty | Jul 12, 2007 8:25:17 PM

    
    

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