(NEWS CENTER Maine) -- As friends and family members share their memories of former President George H. W. Bush after he passed away Friday night, one of his closest friends in Maine reveals why he called the 41st President, 'a second father.'
We all have mentors in our lives, and President Bush was certainly that for me. We shared so many common interests that we loved," said Raynor. "We loved being together. We loved outdoor sports. We loved being on the water together. We loved having a fishing rod in our hands together, and most importantly, we love to doing it together."
Raynor wrote a book, 'I Call Him Mr. President,' in 2017, detailing his times with the President on and off the golf course. All proceeds go to the Conservation Trust in Kennebunkport and Gary's House, a home for people to stay while their loved ones receive medical treatment in the greater Portland area.
"It was a longstanding, but it was so easy from day one, the relationship that we established," said Raynor. "His arms reached out so far. It’s very easy for me to say that he has enriched my life, certainly. The experiences that I’ve shared, the places that I’ve traveled with him, the people that I’ve met, and most importantly the people now that I have in my life that I call friends -- a lot of those friendships have gone through the introduction by the president, through activities that we ended up sharing together."
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"Obviously we have lost a very special man, but he has left and amazing heritage behind, and I hope we all take to heart, and maybe live our lives a little better and make a contribution, and reach out to our fellow man, our friends, and tell them that we love them, and we’re going to do better thanks to George Bush," said Raynor.
Ken Raynor shares his thoughts on President Bush
Raynor is currently in Florida, at Coral Creek Club where he is also a PGA pro.