Former Gov. Tommy Thompson remembers Barbara Bush

Following the passing of former First Lady Barbara Bush, NBC15's Hannah Flood sat down with former Wisconsin governor, Tommy Thompson.

"I think the story she would like to leave is: be your own person. Get your education. Care for other people. Love your family. Love America and do good where ever you possibly can. Those were the rules of Barbra Bush," Thompson said.

Thompson is close friends with the Bush family. He has campaigned with George H.W. Bush — and from 2001 to 2004, served as Health and Human Services Secretary for President George W. Bush.

"To be able to travel with the Bushes, which I have on Air Force One, I've campaigned with them, I've been with their families. You know, it's been quite an experience for me coming from a small town in Wisconsin to be able to have George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush as personal friends," Thompson said.

He's been to the Bush family home in Texas — and has shared memories with them, spanning nearly three decades.

"When you saw Barbara Bush it was what you got and she made no pretense about it," Thompson said. "People loved her. She knew who she was and she didn't care. She would always say 'you know I'm fat, I've got white hair, I'm wrinkled and I'm happy to be Barbara Bush.'"

Barbra Bush was the second woman in history to be both the wife of and mother of a president. Abigail Adams was the first.

Governor Thompson will head to Houston on Friday to join the Bush family and attend Barbra Bush's funeral on Saturday.

"She went out on her own terms. She had a shot of bourbon before she died [while] holding hands with her husband as the lights went out. What could be better?" Thompson said. "Everybody loved her, so it brings sort of a tear to my eye every once and a while just thinking about what a wonderful lady she was."