MD Offices Will Be Closed Dec. 5 To Honor Late President Bush

ANNAPOLIS, MD — All Maryland state government agencies and offices will be closed on Wednesday, Dec. 5, to honor the lifetime of service and unwavering dedication to the country by the nation's 41st president, George Herbert Walker Bush, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced Monday. The governor had previously ordered American and Maryland flags to be flown at half-staff immediately through Dec. 30 to mark Bush's passing. He served as president from 1989-1992 and died at age 94 on Friday.

“Today, I ask that you take time to remember and honor the immeasurable contributions of President George H.W. Bush and his legacy of principled leadership, decency, and commitment to our nation,” said Gov. Hogan in a statement. “This is just one small way the citizens of an eternally grateful state can pay tribute to a truly great American.”

This declaration coincides with a national day of mourning, federal government closure, and a memorial service for President Bush at National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., which Hogan will attend.

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"George H.W. Bush's lifetime of service and decades of dedication to honor and duty leave an indelible mark on our nation and on our hearts," Hogan said in a statement. "He will always represent the very best America has to offer in public life: toughness with civility, firmness with kindness, and strength of conviction with force of character."

Bush enlisted in the Navy on his 18th birthday and flew 58 combat missions during World War II. His life of service included two terms in Congress beginning in 1967, Republican National Chairman, ambassador to China, chief of the U. S. Liaison Office in the People's Republic of China and director of the CIA. He ran for president in 1980, losing the Republican Party's nomination to Ronald Reagan, who chose him as his running mate. Bush served two terms as Reagan's vice president, then won the presidency in 1988. Historians and members of both political parties recalled Bush as a true patriot and statesman who embodied the decency and selfless service of America's Greatest Generation.

"As a decorated World War II veteran and Navy pilot, a two-term Congressman who served alongside my dad in the U.S. House of Representatives, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and ambassador to the United Nations, he built his lasting reputation as the consummate public servant," Hogan said of President Bush. "As our nation's 43rd vice president and 41st president, who helped bring an end to the Cold War, President Bush solidified his legacy of principled, pragmatic, and compassionate leadership."

Bush died shortly after 10 p.m. Friday, about eight months after the death of his wife, Barbara Bush, family spokesman Jim McGrath said. He is also survived by two other sons, Marvin and Neil; and a daughter, Dorothy Bush Koch. He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara, who died in April 2018, and a daughter, Pauline (Robin), who died of leukemia before her fourth birthday.

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PHOTO: Former President George H.W. Bush at his office on March 29, 2012 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)