East Tennessee continues to mourn the passing of George H.W. Bush, the nation's 41st president.
Before, during and after his single term in the Oval Office, President Bush and his family took the time to travel to East Tennessee on multiple occasions.
One of those occasions happened shortly after he announced his campaign for president in 1987-- when he stopped by Central High School in Knoxville.
At the time, the soon-to-be 41st president even sported a University of Tennessee jacket as well as a specially made Central High School Sweatshirt emblazoned with his name the and words: "HOW 'BOUT THEM BOBCATS."
Central HS coach Benjamin Collins found a photo of him that day, tweeting 'That's a nice sweatshirt!'
Phyllis Severance, the woman who helped organize the 1987 trip, said the former president was one of the most grounded men she had ever met.
"He was just very gracious and you felt like you'd known him all your life. He shook our hands and carried on just a conversation with us. So, it was nothing stressful about it," she said.
Severance said it was one of the most memorable days of her life.
Bush died in Houston on Nov. 30 just eight months after his wife, Barbara Bush, also passed away. He and Barbara were married 73 years. He is survived by a large family, including former 43rd President of the United States George W. Bush and former presidential candidate Jeb Bush.