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Nancy Reagan: Former US First Lady dies aged 94

Former First Lady Nancy Reagan has died at home in California at the age of 94. Photo: thescoopblog.dallasnews.com
BBC NEWS

Former First Lady Nancy Reagan has died at home in California at the age of 94.

Mrs Reagan, who had been living in Bel Air, Los Angeles, died of congestive heart failure, the Reagan library said.

Her 52-year marriage to Ronald Reagan was once described as the US presidency's greatest love affair.

From 1981-89 she was one of the most influential first ladies in US history; initially criticised for an expensive renovation of the White House, but later becoming a much-loved figure.

She will be buried next to her husband, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, the library said in a statement.

U.S. President Ronald Reagan (2nd L) and Vice President George Bush (2nd R), accompanied by their wives Nancy (L) and BarbaraImage copyrightReutersImage captionNancy Reagan was always her husband's strongest supporterU.S. President Barack Obama escorts former first lady Nancy Reagan to a signing ceremony for the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act in 2009Image copyrightReutersImage captionMrs Reagan had been in failing health in recent yearsNancy Reagan kisses husband's coffinImage copyrightAPImage captionHer husband Ronald Reagan died in 2004

Reaction

Mitt Romney tweetImage copyrightTwitter

Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney tweeted that "with the passing of Nancy Reagan, God and Ronnie have finally welcomed a choice soul home".

Stepson Michael Reagan tweeted: "I am saddened by the passing of my stepmother Nancy Reagan... She is once again with the man she loved. God bless..."


Like Ronald, Nancy was a former Hollywood performer who made it all the way to the White House.

As Nancy Davis, she was an actress during the 1940s and 1950s and married Reagan, a prominent film actor, in 1952.

She served as first lady of California during her husband's stint as California governor from 1967 to 1975 before moving into the White House after his decisive victory over Democratic President Jimmy Carter in 1980.

As first lady, she sought to emulate the style of one of her predecessors, Jackie Kennedy.

To this end, she extensively redecorated the White House, and accepted designer dresses worth $1m (£600,000) and a 4,732-piece set of china worth $209,000.

But this spending spree provoked a huge outcry from people outraged by what they saw as profligacy and waste while millions of Americans were losing their jobs.

Public opinion was also swayed by accusations that Mrs Reagan had a frosty personality, often consulted astrologers, and ordered the dismissal of White House chief of staff Donald Regan in 1987.

"I see the first lady as another means to keep a president from becoming isolated," she once said.

"I talk to people. They tell me things. And if something is about to become a problem, I'm not above calling a staff person and asking about it. I'm a woman who loves her husband and I make no apologies for looking out for his personal and political welfare."

Nancy Reagan's best-known project as first lady was the anti-drugs "Just Say No" campaign.

After her husband died of Alzheimer's in 2004, she became a champion for Alzheimer's patients, raising millions of dollars for research and breaking with fellow conservative Republicans to argue for stem cell studies.


10 Responses to “Nancy Reagan: Former US First Lady dies aged 94”

  • 123 (06/03/2016, 15:09) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    so sad
    • HAHA (06/03/2016, 17:34) Like (8) Dislike (3) Reply
      Yeah how sad but wheres our bleeding hearts for the 18 000 kids that die of hunger each day ha?
      bullsh!t.
    • Greg (18/03/2016, 15:38) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Sad? That didn't care about anyone except her and her husband. While people were starving and homeless, she was giving lavish parties, wearing clothes worth millions of dollars and only cared about Alzheimer's after her husband got it. Sad?, you obviously don't know much about who was in politics in America. She lived to be 94, shwe was lucky.
  • cay (07/03/2016, 06:33) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    she was a nioce lady!
  • nancy reagan (07/03/2016, 08:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    "just say no"
  • Raygun (07/03/2016, 09:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Well, there you go again.
  • Junichiro. (08/03/2016, 10:09) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    It's funny.
    Her Husband flooded urban black communities with Guns and Crack through the CIA and other measures...and she on Tv telling people to "Just Say No". while being strung out on Alcohol herself.

    That's like giving condoms to the kids you invited over to your house that your partner molests. I'm sorry that she died, but I'm not sorry that she's gone.
  • SB (09/03/2016, 15:46) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    The ORIGINAL TRAP QUEEN. Helped destroy the Black Community NFG(No *ucks Given)
    • wow (16/03/2016, 12:21) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      no you are wrong we need to stop blaming others for our own mistakes


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