HOUSTON, Texas (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- Thousands of people from all over the world walked through the doors of the St. Martin's Church Friday in Houston, Texas to pay their final public respects to former First Lady Barbara Bush.
Mrs. Bush passed away on April 17 after deciding she would no longer pursue medical treatment for health issues including COPD.
While some who attended the public visitation left wiping away tears, others walked away smiling, reflecting on the memories and lessons they learned from the former First Lady.
”She was such a gracious woman, and made everyone feel at ease around her," said Laura Parker, a Houston resident who honeymooned in Maine, visiting Deer Isle, Boothbay Harbor, and Kennebunkport.
”While we were there looking [at Walker's Point], someone let us use their binoculars and we could see them outside," said Parker.
For security purposes, visitors parked at the Second Baptist Church, two miles away from the visitation at St. Martin's. They traveled by shuttle bus to the Episcopal church to view the closed casket.
”We’ve developed this satellite sisters relationship. We rode the bus together, we walked through together, and now we’re going to ride back together," said Adrian Jackson. "This is a good time to share our individual stories, talk to each other, look at each other – it’s exciting.”
Stories from the masses of "The Enforcer" echoed the sentiments of her close friends in Maine: she was a tough woman filled with compassion.
”They’re very average people. There’s no air about them whatsoever," said Carolyn King, a Houston native attending the visitation.
Houston Police estimated that about 3,000 people had attended in the first four hours of the event.
People said the former First Lady's grace was reflected in the public event.
”It was very serene -- calm. It was beautiful," said Parker.
St. Martin's is the largest Episcopalian church in North America. The Bush family has been involved there since 1964. Mrs. Bush was a member of the church group the “Saintly Stitchers” for many years, and spent hours needlepointing two kneelers in the Church. The group also made hundreds of ornaments for the White House Christmas tree. In 2015, Mrs. Bush received the “Dean’s Cross” from the Virginia Theological Seminary in recognition as the “mother of our nation” – a person who has represented the best of the vision of America as a land of opportunity, hope and faithfulness --- present with her that day was Reverend M.L. Agnew, who was a former chaplain at Saint Anne’s Church in Kennebunkport.
Among the general population were some state dignitaries, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Former President George H.W. Bush himself made his first public appearance since the announcement of his wife's passing, sitting in the church and saying good-bye before the private services on Saturday.
Those services promise a VIP guest list, including former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, as well as current First Lady Melania Trump. Traveling with Mrs. Trump, is U.S. Senator Susan Collins. Senator Collins is one of three senators from outside the state of Texas to be invited. She visited with the Bush family in Kennebunkport for more than 20 years after meeting Mrs. Bush in 1994 when she was running for Governor. Mrs. Bush helped her campaign.
"Virtually every summer the Bushes have invited me to Kennebunkport to visit with them, including last summer. I will really miss her so much. She was feisty, she was strong, she was funny, and just a joy to be with," said Senator Collins.
Mrs. Bush selected her son, Governor Jeb Bush, to deliver her eulogy. The Reverend Doctor Peter Cheney, a chaplain at Saint Anne’s Church in Kennebunkport, will also attend. Maine Medical Center president Rich Petersen, and former Senator Olympia Snowe and former Governor John McKernan will be among the nearly 1,500 people attending Saturday's private services.
Following the funeral, Mrs. Bush will be buried at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, about 90 minutes north of Houston.