As the country mourns the loss of the 41st president, one Boardman family is reflecting on a very special memory of George H.W. Bush.

President Bush took the time to write Grace Oklota a birthday letter seven years ago and his words of wisdom are a gift they will forever treasure.

"The first one being the closest; McKinley in Canton, Ohio," said Jeremy Oklota of Boardman about their historic trips.

Ever since Grace Oklota was four-years-old, her family has been visiting Presidential grave sites.

So in 2011 for her eighth birthday, Grace wanted a Presidential-themed party, not a SpongeBob one, and her dad wanted to make it extra special with a card from then President Barack Obama.

"But here, after researching, the office of the President just doesn't do anything but 100th birthdays. So then I started thinking past Presidents," explained Jeremy.

He hit dead ends until he called the George H.W. Bush Museum.

"When I opened it and saw a personalized letter it blew me away," he said.
  
"It was just shock. I didn't think there was any way of ever getting a letter like personalized for me," described Grace.

Words of wisdom, optimism, and patriotism from the 41st president.

He wrote:

I hope you don't mind if this old guy shares a few thoughts with you on this special occasion.

As you look ahead to the challenges that life surely will present, keep in mind that there is much about which to be optimistic. The world is ripe with opportunity for those who work hard, get an education, and play by the rules.

Always do your best. Be a doer and not a critic. If you are fortunate enough to take something out of the system, put something back into it. Give life everything you've got — don't look for the easy way out. Above all else, be yourself and have fun!

One last thing: Take one dose of pride in your country everyday. Then at night, thank God for your many blessings.

Good luck to you in all that lies ahead.

Grace said, "Just the advice of being like a doer and not a critic. The advice that he took the time to think about to give me was really what stuck with me."

"That's the funny part about the whole thing is I'm a registered Democrat and he's going to go down as of right now my favorite president just for the character of the man he is," explained her dad.

Grace said that she plans to pass this letter and its message on to her own children someday.

The 15-year-old is even thinking about becoming a history teacher.

They have visited 22 sites so far and one of their next trips will be to Bush's gravesite and library.