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LBJ Library Photo by Frank Wolfe
Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson 1912-2007
The Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs mourns the passing of Mrs. Lady Bird Johnson on July 11, 2007. We fondly remember her life and contributions to the School and its students.
"The faculty, staff, and students of the LBJ School are deeply saddened by the loss of Mrs. Johnson," said Dean James B. Steinberg. "Generations of students have been touched by her vision and kindness—whether by her receptions at the LBJ Ranch, her frequent informal visits to the School, or her participation at the School's graduation ceremonies, where for many years she personally presented the LBJ Award for Academic Excellence to the top graduates. Her commitment to public service will serve as an inspiration for generations to come."
"Lady Bird Johnson was a Texas and American icon," said William Powers Jr., president of the university. "She made an indelible mark on our state, our nation, and world. And she made an indelible mark on our campus. Her intellect, her eloquence, her love of people, and her passion for nature and the environment touched us all. As First Lady, she advised her husband on many issues that changed our country forever. And she was a wonderful human being. The entire University of Texas family joins the nation in mourning the loss of Lady Bird Johnson."
Mrs. Johnson's personal connection with the LBJ School began long before the School's doors opened in the fall of 1970, and her unfaltering commitment continued to benefit the LBJ School community for more than three and a half decades.
In August 1965, President Johnson announced that he and Mrs. Johnson had approved a proposal to locate a presidential library and a public affairs school in his name on the campus of the University of Texas. Three months later, Mrs. Johnson met with a committee of government and university officials to begin planning for the school, which was envisioned by the Johnsons as a center of training for future public leaders. Mrs. Johnson's group—composed of such distinguished statesmen as McGeorge Bundy, John Gardener, Dean Rusk, and Walt Rostow—advocated a nontraditional, service-oriented program, setting a progressive tone and direction for the subsequent development of the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs.
The Johnson family has expressed Mrs. Johnson's personal desire for memorials to be made to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Endowment Fund. Memorial contributions are a sustaining gift that will help the Wildflower Center continue Mrs. Johnson's vision for conserving the beauty of the American Landscape.
