He married Claudia “Lady Bird” Taylor on November 17, 1934, in San Antonio, Texas. Her childhood nurse said that she was as pretty as a “ladybird,” which is how she acquired her nickname. She outlived her husband by more than thirty years, passing away in her nineties in 2007. In 1977, President Gerald Ford awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom and in 1988 President Ronald Reagan presented her with the Congressional Medal of Honor. She was actively involved in the implementation of the Head Start Program, vocal in her support of civil rights, and passionate about the conservation and beautification of America.