Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush died Friday evening at the age of 94.
Bush was no stranger to the Central Valley. During his presidential campaign in 1988, he visited a Fresno State football Homecoming tailgate, along with his wife and son, Barbara and Jeb, as the final stop in a six-city bus tour of the San Joaquin Valley, according to Collegian archives.
During his brief appearance, he was given a red Bulldog sweatshirt by then-Fresno State President Harold Haak. Bush commented that the gathering of over 1,500 Red Wave fans was “the fanciest tailgate party I’ve ever seen.”
In a news release, Fresno State President Dr. Joseph I. Castro expressed his condolences to the Bush family, recognizing Bush for his accomplishments both as president and as a veteran.
“I was saddened to hear news of the passing tonight of former President George H.W. Bush, the last veteran of World War II to serve as president of our nation. He and the late First Lady, Barbara Bush, dedicated their lives to public service in our nation and the world,” Castro stated in the release. “Mary and I extend our deepest sympathy to the Bush family on their loss.”
Jenny Toste, former social media coordinator in university communications at Fresno State, noted that her father had been Bush’s allergist, and she had lived in Washington, D.C., during his presidency.
“RIP, Pres. Bush. Condolences to his family,” Toste tweeted in response to the news.
Bush’s death comes just several months after the death of his wife Barbara, earlier this year.
Bush served as the 41st president from 1989 to 1993.
He is the father of both former President George W. Bush and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.