Clarion Ledger cartoonist Marshall Ramsey paid tribute to the late President George H.W. Bush who died Friday at the age of 94 by reuniting him with his loved ones.
The cartoon shows Bush flying his TBM Avenger, the plane he flew in the Navy during World War II, through the clouds to join his wife Barbara, who passed away in April, and their daughter Robin, who died of leukemia in 1953 at age 3. The trio holds hands as Barbara says a few words of huge impact: “We waited for you.”
Godspeed President Bush. This is the bookend to the Barbara Bush cartoon from April. My thoughts are with the Bush family tonight. On a personal note, he was the first president I drew as a cartoonist (I began my career in 1988.) @JennaBushHager #presidentBush #rip #georgehwbush pic.twitter.com/lnBXCHgCnw
— Marshall Ramsey ✏️ (@MarshallRamsey) December 1, 2018
This isn’t the first time Ramsey has paid homage to the Bush family. Back in April, he depicted Barbara with open arms reuniting with her daughter Robin.
“I received a very kind note from President George H.W. Bush’s Chief of Staff for the Barbara Bush cartoon. President Bush was unable to write due to his Parkinson’s, but it was his sentiments. And it was very humble and gracious,” Ramsey said in a tweet on Saturday.
Ramsey reflected on a moment at Barbara’s funeral to help him create the cartoon.
“One moment from Barbara Bush’s passing that struck me was that he greeted every mourner who came to her casket. He sat his wheelchair and showed remarkable strength. It was a powerful and frail moment.”
Ramsey says that not all of his cartoons of Bush have been flattering, but this last one was one to remember.