Johnson shares White House memories

By Juliette Coulter

On October 26, the Dallas Arboretum hosted its Great Contributors Dinner honoring Luci Baines Johnson, daughter of President Lyndon Baines Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson. Benefiting the garden, the evening began with a cocktail hour in the Entry Plaza with country music of Texas by the Dave Alexander Band, twinkling lights and artfully arranged pumpkins. 

The evening featured all things Texas as its theme. As guests entered, Carly Carroll sang “The Eyes of Texas Are Upon Us” and invited guests to join her. Jim Ryan, Dallas Arboretum board chairman, welcomed the 270 guests and told them that a wonderful evening awaited them. 

Mary McDermott Cook, whose family has known the Johnson family, spoke next. She said that both she and Luci were blessed with amazing fathers and mothers. As friends, Mary and Luci have traveled together, laughed and cried together. Mary thanked her own and Luci’s parents for allowing them to be able to make an impact in Texas and the United States. 

Bill McIntyre, who was a page in Washington D.C., assisting U.S. Senator Lyndon Baines Johnson from Texas. He got to know the Johnson family through attending church with them and having Sunday dinners at their home. All told, Bill and Luci have known each other for more than six decades. 

About 270 guests enjoyed a delicious Texas White House VIP dinner, including a duet of Bastrop Cattle Company filet mignon with chicken fried lobster tail. 

After dinner, Rena Pederson, author, journalist and one of the most powerful women in the state, according to Texas Monthly, moderated a lively discussion with Luci. Having served as chairman of the board for the LBJ Holding Company during her career, Luci’s experience includes a wide range of business and philanthropic commitments. She has had a lifetime commitment to social justice, health care, education and the environment. Her accolades are numerous.

She learned a great deal by observing the First Ladies she knew. Jackie Kennedy wrote Lady Bird a letter letting her know how thrilled she was that Luci, then 13 years old, would be able to attend her first State dinner with the Sudanese leaders. Both Luci and her sister, Lynda, attended, but the parents didn’t. Lady Bird had many firsts: 

• She was the first to hold the Bible for her husband’s inauguration. 

• She was the first to have a press secretary, Liz Carpenter. 

• She was the first lady to campaign on her own for LBJ. 

• She was the first to take a Whistle Stop tour through the South, where he wasn’t popular.

Lady Bird was a historian and a journalist along with her good friend, Margaret McDermott. In fact, LBJ gave her a video camera, allowing Lady Bird to take videos documenting much of their public life. 

On Lady Bird’s first date with LBJ, he asked her to marry him. 

Luci remarked: “We used Margaret McDermott’s and Mary McDermott Cook’s names as verbs. You’ve been ‘Margaret McDermotted.’ You knew when they asked you something, the only answer was ‘yes’ because your horizons would be enriched and your life brightened.” 

In addition to beautification and conservation, Lady Bird was also involved in the arts, water pollution, Ellis Island, and she was instrumental in getting Head Start started. 

In 1965, Luci began a lifelong commitment to Head Start, where she worked for 20 years. “Kids, given a chance, will succeed.” 

Her mother instilled in her daughters the strategy that, when asked to volunteer, if they could provide the three T’s — time, talent and treasure — then they should do so with gusto. 

At the end of Lady Bird’s life, Luci spent six days a week with her, while a niece spent one day a week. Luci talked about how she valued that time of getting to be with her mom, who was often helping her father in her early years.  

After the entertaining discussion with Luci recounting plenty of stories, Jim Ryan, Shirley and Bill McIntyre and Mary McDermott Cook presented Luci with the Great Contributors Award. Luci remarked: “How honored and grateful I am that I’ve been McDermotted. How grateful I am that you’re part of my family.” 

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