Dear Friends,

On July 11th we lost a wonderful friend in Mrs. Johnson. Though we mourn her passing, we celebrate her great achievements.

Mrs. Johnson loved the gifts of nature, but she was no sentimentalist. Her Wildflower Center, in addition to delighting visitors, is a hub of research. When it came to creating wonderful experiences for others, whether in her role as White House hostess or as a Univeristy of Texas regent, Mrs. Johnson left nothing to chance. She paid close attention to details and worked with a selfless devotion that inspired admiration to the point of awe in those who worked with her. On her desk in the LBJ Library is a small rectangle of marble with the inscription: "Can Do!"

And one of the many things she "did" was the LBJ Library. She visited other presidential libraries and made architectural tours across the country. She selected the architect and oversaw the planning committee.

And it was her idea to create a "window" into the millions of pages of archives so that the library now has a stunning museum display of red archival boxes behind a multi-story glass pane - an idea that subsequent presidential libraries, in one form or another, have copied.

In a letter to the Future Forum, Catherine Robb wrote eloquently about her grandmother: "While this Library is named for my grandfather, my grandmother was as big a part of this Library as anyone and her spirit lives on here, as well. She loved this place, nurtured and supported this place, and rejoiced in its great achievements, including the work of the Future Forum. So for her and for me, I say a big thank you to all of you. If I may ask one favor of any or all of you, it is that you honor her this month by doing something to make this world and its inhabitants more beautiful. Thank you."

Sincerely,

Betty Sue Flowers
Director