Shirley Killett silently walked through the doors of Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home Thursday a little before noon.

She was greeted by funeral directors Kenneth Martin and Mack Wilkerson and quickly signed her name to a registry topped with the name Bush.

“I have a lot of respect for President Bush,” Killett said. “I just think it’s awesome that Lawrence is doing this.”

Since the death of former-president George H.W. Bush last weekend, the local funeral home has been allowing people to add their names to a registry as a way to say goodbye to a president known for his willingness to work with the opposition.

“It’s a way for people to remember,” Wilkerson said.

“It’s another way of preserving that history,” added Martin.

Martin said he was inspired to launch the registry after he noticed that other funeral homes were offering a similar service.

“I just thought it was a good idea to give people the opportunity to pay their respects,” Martin said.

Roughly 20 people have jotted down their names as of Thursday, but Wilkerson and Martin are hoping that they can get the entire book filled before they close it up at the end of next week.

Once that happens, the book and all of the names etched on its pages will be shipped to the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum on the west campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.

There, it will be preserved for many years to come.

“Selma will be in the Presidential Library,” Wilkerson said with a smile.

Wilkerson and Martin chatted about the legacy of Bush, even joking about his habit of wearing “crazy, colorful” socks, but noted that the response to Bush’s passing isn’t unique – any president would be afforded the same show of respect, they theorized.

“This isn’t really an industry where we can let politics be involved,” Martin said.

If you are interested in adding your name to the Bush registry at Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home, stop by any time between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. If you can’t pay a visit, call 334-872-2301 and Martin or Wilkerson will add your name to the list.