WASHINGTON —  President Bush remembered Coretta Scott King on Tuesday as a great civil rights leader who will be remembered for her lasting contributions to freedom and equality.

Bush, in a statement, said he and his wife, Laura, were fortunate to have known King, who died at the age of 78..

"Mrs. King was a remarkable and courageous woman, and a great civil rights leader," the president said. "She carried on the legacy of her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., including through her extraordinary work at the King Center."

"Mrs. King's lasting contributions to freedom and equality have made America a better and more compassionate nation," the president said.