TIME George H.W. Bush (TIME)

With determined grace and a steely dignity, George Herbert Walker Bush spent more than 40 years devoted to public service: First as a naval airman – he would be the last president to serve in World War II – and later as UN Ambassador, chairman of the Republican Party, head of the CIA, vice president under Ronald Reagan, and finally the 41st President of the United States. Bush would serve one term, leaving office in 1993. Yet he would never leave the American political landscape: as the father of the 43rd president, George W. Bush, and through continued commitment to volunteerism and philanthropy, he and his wife of 76 years, Barbara, remained in the public eye.

Now, in this commemorative edition from TIME, an unmatched team of journalists and essayists, including Pulitzer Prize winners, and current and former correspondents, examine and honor the life and legacy of George H.W. Bush. He was known for many things, including his expert knowledge of foreign policy, and his “gentle touch” to world affairs during the end of the Cold War; his love of practical jokes as well as his appreciation for the personal, handwritten note, which became one of his hallmarks. Practical and driven to action, Bush’s commitment to core values cemented the enduring friendships that he would keep with members of his cabinet as well as with the presidents who followed him. This remarkable keepsake edition traces Bush from his early upbringing to his final years, looking at his strengths and weaknesses as a leader and his dimensions as a person.