Sharon Bush

Her Extraordinary Life

BY BENNETT MARCUS

haron Bush, a force in the New York philanthropic world, has had a whirlwind life. She went from a middle-class upbringing in upstate New York and New Hampshire to becoming an elementary school teacher to marrying Neil Bush, son of former President George H.W. Bush Sr. and brother of former President George W. Bush. Sharon remarried in 2019, to financier Robert Murray.

Museum of Democracy

Sharon used her position in the powerful Bush political dynasty to do good, lending her efforts to charitable causes, including Teddy Share, which benefits children worldwide, and Cristo Rey Brooklyn High School, which prepares disadvantaged students for college, with tuition fully underwritten. She was a founder and 7-year board member of KIPP Academy, a public charter school that helps underprivileged children get into college. They now have more than 200 locations nationwide. She also founded the

Karitas Foundation and is currently director of community affairs for the Museum of Democracy, a bipartisan collection of political memorabilia that has recently partnered with the Roosevelt Foundation and Long Island University. In 2021, she received the Emerald Award from the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida for her exemplary leadership and serving as an outstanding role model for young women in the community.

Dark & Happy Times

Her acrimonious 2003 divorce from Neil Bush after 23 years of marriage received national attention from the likes of Vanity Fair, the Washington Post, CNN, and more. “It was a messy divorce,” she says. “My husband’s decision to divorce me was unquestionably a surprise. He was away on business at the time and emailed me to announce the split and made reference to the difficult financial situation ahead. I had no choice but to move forward. I had three young children and had a driving force to be happy. At the advice of a friend, I moved to New York City and just started over.”

Despite this unexpected turn of events, both emotionally and financially, Sharon did not let this difficult period get in the way of her concern for those less fortunate. “Giving back has always been a part of my life’s work, as a teacher and as a role model to my girls and my son. My mission has never wavered, even when I experienced the most difficult times in my life. It was so important to me that my children know that those less fortunate really needed us, and I needed to smile through my own pain in order to bring light and levity to those who were suffering. Keeping the faith definitely got me through the dark times.”

Mother of the Year

Now, happier times are here for Sharon and her family. In a wonderful ceremony officiated by pastor Joel Osteen, with whom she has a close relationship, Sharon married Robert Murray in front of family and close friends in 2019, at Central Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. “Bob is such a wonderful man with a really close-knit family. Our children all get along. The grandchildren all get along,” she says, beaming. The extended families spent this past Christmas together at Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz. “We had so much fun, with so many laughs, and it feels wonderful to be in a place with unconditional love and support.”

She is most proud of her three children, daughters Lauren, a former fashion model and founder of anti-hunger charity Feed, and Ashley, a writer and producer for film and TV, both of whom are profiled in this issue. Son Pierce is CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters in Texas. “I knew that at an early age, I needed to teach them about compassion and helping others,” Sharon says. “I took them to homeless shelters, to organizations devoted to helping women, to children’s hospitals. We were involved, helping serve holiday meals at soup kitchens and shelters. They saw first-hand through this work how important it was to me for them to give back to those in need.”

Sharon’s child-rearing efforts have frequently been recognized. She received the Outstanding Mother Award from the National Mother’s Day Committee and was named Mother of the Year at Hale House. “You only have one chance at raising children and showing them a good example. As Jackie Kennedy said, if you bungle up on raising your children, you haven’t done anything well, and that, to me, was always the most important thing in my life.” With such an extraordinary life path, from middle-class childhood to Christmases in the White House as a member of one of America’s most prominent political dynasties, Bush regaled us with remarkable tales of what it’s like living in the spotlight of power. Here we’ve shared just a few.

The Upsides & Downsides of Having Secret Service

“The children got used to it. And we would make cookies for them to eat, as they’d stay outside the house. So, we’d become friends with them and kind of try to make them part of the family, when we could. They’d go on trips with us, go skiing with us. And I remember them running into me skiing, knocking me down, and I was in bed for several days. Because they couldn’t really ski, but they had to try to keep up with us. And then, of course, when the kids got older, it actually helped because I could just call the Secret Service and say, ‘Okay. Where are they now? Can you tell me?’ So, it was very helpful then.”

Having Doors Slammed in Your Face While Campaigning

“People either liked you or they didn’t; sometimes, they let us know right away, by slamming the door in our faces.” She laughed. “You just never knew, but that’s part of the game of campaigning. But now it would be so much worse. I mean, it’s really gotten divisive. But we had fun with it. I always looked at it as a really great experience, meeting new people and understanding who they were and their way of life.”

Barbara Bush Schooled President Reagan on How To Eat

Sharon was sitting with Ronald Reagan at his postinauguration White House buffet luncheon, and Barbara Bush came over and critiqued the president’s handling of a tartufo ball, which has a hard chocolate shell and is difficult to cut. “She started telling the president how to use his utensils and how to cut it, and he had just been inaugurated president. He handled it so well. I was just in shock, but that’s how she was.”

George Senior & a Yacht in Kennebunkport

The Bushes were invited to watch July 4th fireworks aboard a privately owned yacht making its way to Boston for a tall ships parade, when the boat suddenly started rocking and shaking. They had hit some rocks. The boat was equipped with instruments indicating depth and location of the rocks. “My father-in-law was directing the captain, saying, ‘I know these waters. You can go there.’ And the captain said, ‘No, I can see it’s not a good place,’ but who argues with the ex-president? So, he hit rocks, and we were jolted and had to jump off the boat into the tenders. We watched the boat getting towed away, and it tipped onto its side, so it struck a hole. We ended up having pizza at home for dinner that night.”

Magical White House Christmases

“I remember the children playing hide-and-seek with all the Christmas trees; they counted something like 22 Christmas trees, decorated beautifully, around the White House. And we’d go down to the basement. That’s where everything happens at the White House, where the flower shop was, and the chefs. They always had cookies for the children. And the staff loved all the activity after the Reagans, because the Reagans didn’t have their grandchildren there.”

Ghosts in the Lincoln Bedroom

“I remember sleeping in The Lincoln Bedroom; one of the original signed Gettysburg Addresses is in there. There was always talk of a ghost in The Lincoln Room, and I would stay up all night, hoping I would see something, which I never did.” P

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