Statement on the Death of Lucille Ball

Lucille Ball possessed the gift of laughter, but she also embodied an even greater treasure: the gift of love. She appealed to the gentler impulses of the human spirit. She was not merely an actress or comedienne; she was "Lucy," and she was loved. I want to extend my deepest sympathy to the family of Lucille Ball. Their loss is immeasurable, but so is her legacy of laughter. It is timeless. It spans the generations.

No television program in history was better named than "I Love Lucy". Mrs. Bush joins me in mourning the death of this legendary figure. We, too, loved Lucy; so did the world.