http://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/06/po...gan-dies-obit/
Nancy Reagan dead at 94
By Todd Leopold, CNN
Updated 2301 GMT (0701 HKT) March 6, 2016
Nancy Reagan dies at 94
Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan dances with former First Lady Nancy Reagan in this undated file photo. Reagan turns 92 on February 6, 2003.
Nancy Reagan dies at 94
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Nancy Reagan journeyed from Hollywood to White House
She was President Ronald Reagan's partner in many ways
(CNN)Former first lady Nancy Reagan, who joined her husband on a storybook journey from Hollywood to the White House, died Sunday.
She was 94.
Reagan died at her home in Los Angeles of congestive heart failure, according to her spokeswoman, Joanne Drake of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
"Mrs. Reagan will be buried at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, next to her husband, Ronald Wilson Reagan, who died on June 5, 2004. Prior to the funeral service, there will be an opportunity for members of the public to pay their respects at the library," Drake said in a statement.
The former first lady requested that contributions be made to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Foundation in lieu of flowers, the statement said.
Nancy Davis and Ronald Reagan appear at the premiere of "A Streetcar Named Desire" in Hollywood in 1951. The couple married the following year.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Nancy Davis and Ronald Reagan appear at the premiere of "A Streetcar Named Desire" in Hollywood in 1951. The couple married the following year.
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Ronald and Nancy Reagan smile as they have their honeymoon dinner at the Stork Club in New York City in 1952.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Ronald and Nancy Reagan smile as they have their honeymoon dinner at the Stork Club in New York City in 1952.
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Ronald Reagan watches as his wife, Nancy, aims a rifle at their ranch in Malibu, California, in 1954.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Ronald Reagan watches as his wife, Nancy, aims a rifle at their ranch in Malibu, California, in 1954.
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The Reagans prepare for a day's work on their ranch in Malibu.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
The Reagans prepare for a day's work on their ranch in Malibu.
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The Reagans pose for a family portrait with their daughter, Patti Davis, and their infant son, Ron, in 1955.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
The Reagans pose for a family portrait with their daughter, Patti Davis, and their infant son, Ron, in 1955.
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Ronald and Nancy Reagan appear in "Hellcats of the Navy" in 1957. It was her last film.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Ronald and Nancy Reagan appear in "Hellcats of the Navy" in 1957. It was her last film.
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The Reagans wave after President Reagan was sworn in as 40th president of the United States by Chief Justice Warren Burger on January 20, 1981, at the Capitol in Washington. At right is Vice President George H.W. Bush.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
The Reagans wave after President Reagan was sworn in as 40th president of the United States by Chief Justice Warren Burger on January 20, 1981, at the Capitol in Washington. At right is Vice President George H.W. Bush.
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The Reagans ride horses on January 10, 1981.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
The Reagans ride horses on January 10, 1981.
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Nancy Reagan is photographed in London for the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in July 1981.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan is photographed in London for the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in July 1981.
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President Reagan stands behind a lectern as first lady Nancy Reagan stands in a side doorway, planning to surprise him with a birthday cake on February 4, 1983, at the White House.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
President Reagan stands behind a lectern as first lady Nancy Reagan stands in a side doorway, planning to surprise him with a birthday cake on February 4, 1983, at the White House.
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Reagan poses with Gary Coleman in a 1983 publicity photo for an episode of "Diff'rent Strokes."
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Reagan poses with Gary Coleman in a 1983 publicity photo for an episode of "Diff'rent Strokes."
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Reagan sits on the lap of Mr. T, dressed as Santa Claus, during a White House Christmas decoration tour in 1983.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Reagan sits on the lap of Mr. T, dressed as Santa Claus, during a White House Christmas decoration tour in 1983.
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The Reagan family poses outdoors at Nancy's birthday party in Rancho del Cielo, California, on August 17, 1985.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
The Reagan family poses outdoors at Nancy's birthday party in Rancho del Cielo, California, on August 17, 1985.
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The Reagans meet with Princess Diana and Prince Charles at the White House on November 9, 1985, during the royals' official visit to the United States.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
The Reagans meet with Princess Diana and Prince Charles at the White House on November 9, 1985, during the royals' official visit to the United States.
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Reagan meets with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at No. 10 Downing Street on July 22,1986, during a visit to London.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Reagan meets with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at No. 10 Downing Street on July 22,1986, during a visit to London.
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The Reagans are welcomed by youngsters with signs and balloons as Nancy returns to the White House after undergoing a mastectomy in October 1987.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
The Reagans are welcomed by youngsters with signs and balloons as Nancy returns to the White House after undergoing a mastectomy in October 1987.
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Ronald Reagan blows out the candles on his cake with help from Nancy as he celebrates his 82nd birthday on February 6, 1993. At left is former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Ronald Reagan blows out the candles on his cake with help from Nancy as he celebrates his 82nd birthday on February 6, 1993. At left is former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
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The Reagans celebrate Ronald Reagan's 89th birthday on February 6, 2000, at their home In Bel-Air, California.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
The Reagans celebrate Ronald Reagan's 89th birthday on February 6, 2000, at their home In Bel-Air, California.
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Nancy Reagan poses with the Leadership Award she received from Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on March 15, 2000, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, Caifornia. She was honored by the Congressional Award Foundation for her efforts as first lady in the fight against youth drug abuse both in the United States and around the world.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan poses with the Leadership Award she received from Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on March 15, 2000, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, Caifornia. She was honored by the Congressional Award Foundation for her efforts as first lady in the fight against youth drug abuse both in the United States and around the world.
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Reagan and Elizabeth Dole, right, pose with the Rev. Billy Graham after honoring him with the Ronald Reagan Freedom Award in recognition of his "monumental and lasting contribution to the cause of religious freedom" during a ceremony on April 5, 2000, in Beverly Hills, California.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Reagan and Elizabeth Dole, right, pose with the Rev. Billy Graham after honoring him with the Ronald Reagan Freedom Award in recognition of his "monumental and lasting contribution to the cause of religious freedom" during a ceremony on April 5, 2000, in Beverly Hills, California.
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Nancy Reagan speaks as President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush look on at the christening ceremony of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan on March 4, 2001, in Newport News, Virginia.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan speaks as President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush look on at the christening ceremony of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan on March 4, 2001, in Newport News, Virginia.
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Actor Michael J. Fox poses with Reagan at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's tribute to Nancy Reagan on May 8, 2004, in Beverly Hills, California. Reagan was honored for her commitment to stem cell research.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Actor Michael J. Fox poses with Reagan at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's tribute to Nancy Reagan on May 8, 2004, in Beverly Hills, California. Reagan was honored for her commitment to stem cell research.
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Nancy Reagan and daughter Patti Davis, second left, view a makeshift memorial in front of the funeral home in Santa Monica, California, where President Reagan's body rests on June 7, 2004 .
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan and daughter Patti Davis, second left, view a makeshift memorial in front of the funeral home in Santa Monica, California, where President Reagan's body rests on June 7, 2004 .
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Ron Reagan, Michael Wenning, Nancy Reagan, Patti Davis, Ashley Reagan and Michael Reagan pay their respects over the casket that contains the body of former President Ronald Reagan following the memorial service on June 7, 2004, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Ron Reagan, Michael Wenning, Nancy Reagan, Patti Davis, Ashley Reagan and Michael Reagan pay their respects over the casket that contains the body of former President Ronald Reagan following the memorial service on June 7, 2004, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.
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Reagan speaks at the end of the "A Nation Honors Nancy Reagan" dinner on May 11, 2005, in Washington. The event was held to pay tribute to Reagan and celebrate her life and her accomplishments.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Reagan speaks at the end of the "A Nation Honors Nancy Reagan" dinner on May 11, 2005, in Washington. The event was held to pay tribute to Reagan and celebrate her life and her accomplishments.
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Reagan wipes away a tear after the unveiling of a statue of former President Ronald Reagan in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on June 3, 2009. Also pictured, from left, are House Minority Leader John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Reagan wipes away a tear after the unveiling of a statue of former President Ronald Reagan in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on June 3, 2009. Also pictured, from left, are House Minority Leader John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
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Reagan, from left, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, Sen. Richard Lugar and Rep. Elton Gallegly watch President Barack Obama sign a bill on June 2, 2009, in Washington. Obama signed the "Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act" to honor Ronald Reagan on his 100th birth anniversary in 2011.
27 photos: Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan
Reagan, from left, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, Sen. Richard Lugar and Rep. Elton Gallegly watch President Barack Obama sign a bill on June 2, 2009, in Washington. Obama signed the "Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act" to honor Ronald Reagan on his 100th birth anniversary in 2011.
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In a statement, President Barack Obama thanked Reagan for her "warm and generous advice."
"Our former First Lady redefined the role in her time here," he continued. "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. "
Republican leaders also paid tribute.
"With the passing of Nancy Reagan, we say a final goodbye to the days of Ronald Reagan," wrote 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney on Facebook. "With charm, grace, and a passion for America, this couple reminded us of the greatness and the endurance of the American experiment. ... God and Ronnie have finally welcomed a choice soul home."
Former first lady Barbara Bush, whose husband George H.W. Bush succeeded Ronald Reagan as president, said, "Nancy Reagan was totally devoted to President Reagan, and we take comfort that they will be reunited once more. George and I send our prayers and condolences to her family."
Former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, also were moved by Reagan's death.
"Mrs. Reagan was fiercely loyal to her beloved husband, and that devotion was matched only by her devotion to our country," Bush said in a statement.
He observed that her influence on the White House was "complete and lasting."
A fierce protector
As first lady during Ronald Reagan's eight years in the White House, Nancy Reagan was known as the "Just say no" spokeswoman of anti-drug campaigns and as a fierce protector of her husband, both personally and politically.
People we've lost in 2016
32 photos: People we've lost in 2016
People we lost Feb 2016
Former first lady <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/06/politi...dex.html" target="_blank">Nancy Reagan</a>, who joined her husband on a storybook journey from Hollywood to the White House, has died of heart failure on Sunday, March 6. She was known as a fierce protector of her husband, President Ronald Reagan, as well as a spokeswoman of the "Just say no" anti-drug campaign. She was 94.
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/05/entert...l">Pat Conroy, </a>who used his troubled family history as grist for a series of novels, including "The Prince of Tides" and "The Great Santini," dies Friday, March 4, at age 70.
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<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/02/entert...it-feat/" target="_blank">Lee Reherman</a>, a former football player and star of "American Gladiators," was found dead on Tuesday, March 1. He was 49 years old.
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/29/entert...dex.html" target="_blank">George Kennedy</a>, the brawny, Oscar-winning actor known for playing cops, soldiers and blue-collar authority figures in such films as "Cool Hand Luke," "Airport" and the "Naked Gun" films, died Sunday, February 28. He was 91.
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/26/entert...dex.html" target="_blank">Tony Burton</a>, who played trainer Tony "Duke" Evers in the "Rocky" film franchise, died on February 25. He was 78.
Singer <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/22/entert...it-feat/" target="_blank">Sonny James</a>, who who ruled the country music charts for nearly 20 years, died February 22 at the age of 87.
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/19/europe...ot;>Umberto Eco</a>, author of the novels "The Name of the Rose" and "Foucault's Pendulum," died February 19 at the age of 84, his U.S. publisher said.
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/19/entert...dex.html" target="_blank">Harper Lee</a>, whose novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1961, was confirmed dead on February 19. She was 89. Her long-anticipated second novel, "Go Set a Watchman," was published in 2015.
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/16/world/...dex.html" target="_blank">Boutros Boutros-Ghali</a>, who was the United Nations' sixth secretary-general in the early 1990s, died on February 16. He was 93.
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/17/entert...it-feat/" target="_blank">George Gaynes</a>, the veteran actor best known for "Punky Brewster" and the "Police Academy" films, died on February 15. He was 98.
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/16/entert...dex.html" target="_blank">Denise Matthews</a>, who fronted the group Vanity 6 but was best known for her collaboration with Prince, died February 15 at a hospital in Fremont, California. She was 57.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/13/politi...s-at-79/" target="_blank">Antonin Scalia</a>, the leading conservative voice on the high court, died at the age of 79, a government source and a family friend told CNN on February 13.
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/05/us/edg...it-feat/" target="_blank">Edgar Mitchell</a> was the sixth man to walk on the moon and just one of 12 total who have done so. The Apollo 14 astronaut, who was 85, died on February 4.
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<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/04/entert...ey-dead/" target="_blank">Joe Alaskey</a>, a voice actor who performed such characters as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, died February 3 at the age of 63. The actor voiced many other beloved Looney Tunes characters, including Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat and Plucky Duck.
At left is <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/03/entert...it-feat/" target="_blank">Bob Elliott</a>, half of the TV and radio comedy duo Bob and Ray. He died February 2 at the age of 92. For several decades, Elliott and Ray Goulding's program parodies and deadpan routines were staples of radio and television. Elliott was the father of comedian and actor Chris Elliott and the grandfather of "Saturday Night Live" cast member Abby Elliott.
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/29/entert...">Paul Kantner</a>, a guitarist in the '60s psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane and its successor, Jefferson Starship, died on January 28. He was 74.
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Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/13/us/mon...bituary/" target="_blank">Monte Irvin</a> died January 11 at the age of 96. Irvin was regarded as one of the best hitters and all-around players in the Negro League, making five All-Star teams. He became one of the first African-Americans to play in the majors, and he played a vital role in the New York Giants' World Series runs in 1951 and 1954.
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/11/entert...dex.html" target="_blank">David Bowie</a>, whose incomparable sound and chameleon-like ability to reinvent himself made him a pop music fixture for more than four decades, died January 10 after an 18-month battle with cancer. He was 69.
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<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/02/politi...dex.html" target="_blank">Dale Bumpers</a>, a former U.S. senator and Arkansas governor who defended President Bill Clinton during his impeachment trial, died on January 1. He was 90.
Former U.S. Rep. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/01/politi...dex.html" target="_blank">Mike Oxley</a> -- co-author of a landmark anti-corporate-fraud law that bears his name -- died on January 1. He was 71.
People we lost Feb 2016nancy reagan pwl - RESTRICTEDpat conroy gettypwl bud collins - RESTRICTEDRESTRICTED lee reherman FILEgeorge kennedy 1975 RESTRICTEDtony burton Sonny James RESTRICTEDUmberto Eco 2014 Euro GutenbergRESTRICTED 01 harper leeBoutros Boutros-Ghali 2003George Gaynes RESTRICTED01 vanity denise matthewsscalia headshotedgar mitchel apollo 14 color nasa01 Dave Mirra FILEmaurice white obitJoe Alaskey FILEbob elliot ray gouldingpwl Paul Kantner - RESTRICTED02 abe vigoda RESTRICTEDglenn frey 08dan haggerty RESTRICTED01 Alan Rickman SnapeMonte Irvin FILE RESTRICTEDdavid bowie final concert 1973Andre Courreges RESTRICTEDpat harrington RESTRICTED02 robert stigwood RESTRICTEDVilmos Zsigmond 1973Dale Bumpers RESTRICTEDMichael Oxley RESTRICTED
When Ronald Reagan was shot in a 1981 assassination attempt, Nancy Reagan never left the hospital where the president was treated until he was released, according to her press secretary, Sheila Tate.
After she and her husband left Washington, she became his protector again as he struggled with Alzheimer's disease until his death in 2004. Afterward, she remained a staunch guardian of his image and legacy.
"She was always the one who kept the flame alive," said CNN senior political analyst David Gergen, a former Reagan adviser.
Her official White House biography quotes Nancy Reagan as saying, "My life really began when I married my husband."
A marriage made in Hollywood
She was born Anne Frances Robbins in New York City on July 6, 1921. Her mother and father separated before her birth.
Her mother, Edith, toured with a theater company while Nancy lived with an aunt and uncle. Her mother married Chicago neurosurgeon Loyal Davis when the future first lady was young. He adopted her and she settled down in Chicago, before she adopted the stage name Nancy Davis and headed west to Hollywood.
"She told me that MGM was like a big family, that when she signed with MGM, she became part of that family. They took care of her," Tate said.
As part of the MGM stable, Nancy Davis made 11 films from 1949 until 1956, but her career almost ended before it began. Her name appeared on a list of people thought to have been communist sympathizers in 1949.
"She got a mailing that was for another Nancy Davis, and this other Nancy Davis was in connection with one of those Hollywood blacklists that were going on in the Hollywood red-hunting days," biographer Lou Cannon said.
Upset, she turned to a friend for help and he set up a meeting with the president of the Screen Actors Guild, a dashing leading man named Ronald Reagan.
It would be the start of one of Hollywood's and Washington's most enduring love stories. In fact, her final screen appearance was playing opposite her future husband in a movie called "Hellcats of the Navy."
The two wed on March 4, 1952, in a private ceremony at a small church near Los Angeles. She began her role as a wife of a politician when her husband won the 1966 California gubernatorial race.
In politics
Ronald Reagan's two terms as California governor catapulted him into the national spotlight, and he ran for higher office.
He swept into the White House and when he was inaugurated in 1981, Nancy Reagan brought to Washington a style and elegance that many loved.
But she was also criticized for wearing expensive designer gowns and ordering expensive new china for White House state dinners -- even though the place settings were paid for with private funds.
"Nancy Reagan was hurt by it, it bothered her because people didn't understand," former White House Chief of Staff Kenneth Duberstein said. "But the impact was more on him, because 'Somebody was picking on my Nancy.' And that was unfair."
'A codependent presidency'
She had a sweeping influence on how the White House was run, especially when it came to the people who worked for the President.
"They had a codependent marriage that became a codependent presidency," CNN presidential historian Douglas Brinkley said.
"Ronald Reagan was the nice guy who liked to tell everybody how wonderful they were. She was the judge of character, and if she thought somebody didn't have her husband's interest in mind, she nixed them. You can't overestimate how important she was for the Reagan revolution and Reagan's eight years in the White House."
When President Reagan was shot in March 1981, only she and a few others knew how badly hurt he really was.
"I remember sitting in the anteroom with her and we were dealing with a few things that had to be dealt with, and there was this pounding," Tate said. "And she said: 'They're pounding on his back.' And it was really shocking -- bam, bam -- just to get everything moving. ...
"She never left that hospital."
After the assassination attempt, the president's safety was Nancy Reagan's No. 1 preoccupation.
'I make no apologies'
Through it all, she had many admirers and critics.
Chief among the critics was her husband's former chief of staff Donald Regan, who wrote a blistering book about her influence, claiming that she used an astrologer to determine the president's schedule.
"I would have preferred it if he decided to attack me," Ronald Reagan said at the time. "From what I hear, he's chosen to attack my wife, and I don't look kindly on that at all."
A year after Reagan's final year in office, the first lady fired back at Regan in her 1989 book, "My Turn: The Memoirs of Nancy Reagan."
"I make no apologies for telling him what I thought," the former first lady wrote, referring to her husband.
Gergen said Sunday that she was not a woman to cross when it came to her husband.
"She thought her first and foremost duty was to be there with him," he said.
'Her beloved Ronnie'
Indeed, when observers describe Mrs. Reagan, their stories often involve the words "devoted" and "protective."
"Nancy was a powerful figure in the Reagan White House. (She was a) most protective person," former CNN Washington bureau chief Frank Sesno said Sunday. "Her agenda always, always, always was her beloved Ronnie."
Ronald Reagan's life and career
11 photos: Ronald Reagan's life and career
Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, first became famous as an actor. Here, he sits with American actress Margaret Lindsay in the Warner Brothers Studio commissary in 1935.
Reagan and his wife, Nancy Reagan, gaze at one another across a table in about 1952, the year they were married.
Reagan wears a T-shirt and stands next to a black horse in a 1935 portrait.
In a 1919 photo, future U.S. President Ronald Reagan (second row, left) stands with his classmates in a third-grade class portrait in Tampico, Illinois.
Reagan appears with Patricia Neal on November 20, 1948, at the Royal Command Film Performance of "Scott of the Antarctic" at the Empire Theatre, London.
Reagan smiles as he speaks during his presidential campaign in 1979.
Reagan makes a speech during the Republican presidential primary in New York in March 1980. Behind him are campaign posters with one of his most famous slogans: "Let's make America great again."
A 1980 campaign button features Reagan and his running mate, George H. W. Bush.
Outgoing President Jimmy Carter, left, sits with president-elect Ronald Reagan in the back of a limousine en route to Reagan's inauguration on January 20, 1981.
Reagan addresses the Republican National Convention in 1984.
Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan take a horseback ride at their Rancho del Cielo vacation home in Santa Barbara, California, circa 1982.
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Added CNN chief political analyst Gloria Borger, "Her real role was to protect her husband and to make sure everyone around him was on the same page. ... Everything she did was in Reagan's interest. And like most politicians' spouses she really had his ear."
She had other more traditional roles at the White House, including as a spokeswoman for the anti-drug program -- which was reduced to a phrase, "Just Say No." She even made an appearance on the 1980s sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes" to deliver the message.
"When I said, 'Just say no,' it was an answer to a question by a child in a classroom," she told CNN's Larry King. "Now, I didn't mean that was the whole answer, obviously, but it served a purpose."
Maintaining a legacy
Those closest to the former first lady said they were concerned about her when her husband of 52 years passed away of Alzheimer's in 2004, but she remained in the public eye.
During the 2008 presidential campaign, she hosted two debates for Republican candidates at the Reagan Library, according to her biography on the National First Ladies' Library website.
In 2011, she attended a debate for the 2012 Republican hopefuls at the library. She received a standing ovation.
But she believed some relationships were above politics. When historian Brinkley told her he wasn't a conservative, she asked, "What's your point?"
"She thought Ronald Reagan was an American president -- after all, Ronald Reagan voted for Franklin D. Roosevelt four times, he used to be a Democrat," Brinkley said Sunday. "While the right in America celebrates him almost like a patron Saint Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan is the one that said my husband represented all of the American people, not just Republicans."
'A pretty fabulous life'
She'd had her own medical challenges. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 and underwent a mastectomy.
But she maintained an upbeat view -- even when it didn't involve gazing adoringly at her husband, as she famously did in countless pictures.
In a 2001 interview which took place on Ronald Reagan's 90th birthday, CNN's Larry King asked the former first lady whether she felt that fate had treated her badly.
"No, no. When you balance it all out, I've had a pretty fabulous life," she said.
Nancy Reagan is survived by Patti Davis and Ron Reagan -- her two children with Ronald Reagan -- and Michael Reagan, a son from Ronald Reagan's first marriage to Jane Wyman. Maureen Reagan, Ronald Reagan's daughter with Jane Wyman, died in 2001.
People we've lost in 2016