News Release

Parks to Celebrate 110th Anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Birth on August 27

Brigadier General Laura L. Lenderman and Shirley James, executive assistant to Lady Bird Johnson

News Release Date: August 18, 2018

Contact: Dave Schafer, 830-868-7128 ext. 235

STONEWALL, TEXAS – Make plans to join Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park and Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site in celebrating the 110th anniversary of President Johnson’s birth. At 10:00 am on Monday, August 27, the National Park Service will host the annual wreath-laying ceremony at President Johnson’s gravesite on the LBJ Ranch. The ceremony continues a tradition that Lady Bird Johnson began in 1973. US Air Force Brigadier General Laura L. Lenderman will help present the wreath and provide remarks. Shirley James, who has a long history with the Johnson family, will be the keynote speaker.
 
Brigadier General Laura L. Lenderman has served as the Commander of the 502nd Air Base Wing (ABW) and Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) since June 2018. Her responsibilities include overseeing projects, facilities, and personnel. She leads 8,000 personnel associated with the 502nd ABW and 80,000 personnel associated with JBSA. Prior to her current assignment, General Lenderman served as Deputy Director (Military), Strategic Plans, Policy, and Logistics, US Transportation Command, at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.  
 
Shirley James became Lady Bird Johnson’s executive assistant in 1992 and remained in that position until the former first lady’s death in 2007. However, her close association with the Johnson family began in 1974 when she became assistant to Luci Johnson, President and Mrs. Johnson’s younger daughter. She helped plan many events at the LBJ Ranch over the years. One of Shirley’s proudest achievements was conceiving the idea to create a US postage stamp in 2012 honoring the centennial of Lady Bird Johnson’s birth. Shirley has served for eight years as a board member of Friends of Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park.
 
To view the wreath-laying ceremony, visitors should stop first at the LBJ State Park to pick up a free vehicle permit and map. Throughout the day on August 27 the LBJ State Park will feature old-time games of marbles, tops, jacks, and stick-horse races at the Sauer-Beckmann living history farm. Birthday cake will be served at 1:00 pm at the state park’s visitor center. For more information, visit www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-park/lyndon-b-johnson.
 
After the wreath-laying ceremony in the Johnson family cemetery, visitors can take the LBJ Ranch driving tour. Due to the temporary closure of the Texas White House to public tours, park staff will instead offer periodic tours of the grounds around the historic home. The LBJ Ranch hangar visitor center will be open, which features exhibits, artifacts, an award-winning 14-minute film, and a Western National Parks Association sales outlet. WNPA will offer 15% discounts in the park’s sales outlets on August 27. To learn more about WNPA visit www.wnpa.org.

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park is open seven days a week from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. For more information call 830-868-7128 ext. 231 or 244, or visit www.nps.gov/lyjo and www.facebook.com/LBJohnsonNPS.

More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 417 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.