Former First Lady Nancy Reagan, 94, dies from heart failure at her Bel Air home

 

The former First Lady Nancy Reagan  , wife of President Ronald Reagan, passed away in Bel Air on Sunday after suffering congestive heart failure. Nancy Reagan has died at the age of 94.

 

Starting as an actress in the 1940s and 1950s, she married Ronald Reagan - then president of the Screen Actors Guild - in 1952.

 

Mrs Reagan was an influential First Lady during her husband's presidency from 1981 to 1989. 

 

Notably she spearheaded the 'Just Say No' to campaign against drugs, speaking at schools and appearing on TV shows such as Dynasty and Diff'rent Strokes to promote the cause.

 

Ronald Reagan died on June 5, 2004, after a 10-year battle with Alzheimer's disease. 

In recent years, Nancy struggled with her health after falling at home and breaking three ribs in 2012, not long after breaking her pelvis at home in 2008. 

 

Despite her own health setbacks, however, Mrs Reagan remained active in politics, particularly in relation to stem-cell research. She also endorsed Mitt Romney for the presidency in 2012.  

 

On Sunday, President Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W Bush led tribes to the former First Lady.

Nancy and husband Ronald

 

Describing Mrs Reagan as an icon who defined the role of First Lady, the Obamas wrote: 'Nancy Reagan once wrote that nothing could prepare you for living in the White House. She was right, of course. But we had a head start, because we were fortunate to benefit from her proud example, and her warm and generous advice.

 

'Our former First Lady redefined the role in her time here. Later, in her long goodbye with President Reagan, she became a voice on behalf of millions of families going through the depleting, aching reality of Alzheimer’s, and took on a new role, as advocate, on behalf of treatments that hold the potential and the promise to improve and save lives.

 

'We offer our sincere condolences to their children, Patti, Ron, and Michael, and to their grandchildren. And we remain grateful for Nancy Reagan's life, thankful for her guidance, and prayerful that she and her beloved husband are together again.'

Meanwhile, people remembering Mrs Reagan left a growing display of flowers at the main entrance gate of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California.

 

The library is closed and visitors were turned away