"One of the greatest honors in my life is serving as the sponsor of the new aircraft carrier bearing ..." — Dorothy Bush Koch

By the time he arrived in Texas - via the red 1947 Studebaker Dad's parents gave him as a graduation gift - he was ready for the challenge of making his way in the oil business.

Know thyself. Remain steadfast. Follow your dreams. These are great directives and perfectly fitting for graduates. But reality is that achieving dreams takes a solid education - education that remains elusive for too many Americans.

Dad's astute knowledge of foreign policy impressed Gorbachev during the time of the Berlin Wall when Dad refused to gloat during the reunification of Germany.