Remembering George P. Shultz

"A true patriot in every sense of the word." These are the words of Condoleezza Rice, describing a great statesman and scholar, George P. Shultz. Shultz passed away yesterday in his Stanford home at the age of 100. The Review mourns his death - he was the epitome of a life dedicated to public service.

Shultz was born in New York City in 1920. A graduate of Princeton and MIT, he served in the Marine Corps in the Pacific theater during WWII. Shultz worked in three Presidential administrations - under Eisenhower, Nixon, and Reagan - and held four different Cabinet positions. Most notably, as Secretary of State under President Ronald Reagan, Shultz played a key role in ending the Cold War. President Reagan awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1989 for his diplomatic efforts in pursuit of nuclear arms control and Middle East peace. George Shultz was, without a doubt, one of the most consequential Americans of the 20th century.

After leaving government service, Shultz continued to put his knowledge to use, serving as a Fellow at the Hoover Institution and advising numerous national and state policy makers. At Stanford, many of us had the great privilege of learning directly from him at many public events, which he loyally attended, even on Zoom. He worked on national economic, social, and energy policy, speaking out and writing frequently. In the Bay Area, he and his wife Charlotte were prominent philanthropists and advocates for K-12 schooling.

We are saddened to have lost such an esteemed man but are grateful that America had the opportunity to benefit from his leadership and wisdom.

Godspeed, George!

To learn more about Shultz’s life, read the obituary from the Hoover Institution, or watch this short video produced to commemorate his 100th birthday.