LOS ANGELES — Former First Lady Nancy Reagan died Sunday morning at her home in Bel Air at the age of 94.
Reagan, who had been suffering with failing health for years, died of congestive heart failure according to a spokesperson.
Nancy married Ronald Reagan in 1952, and she became First Lady when Ronald served as the nation’s 40th president from 1981 to 1989. Like Ronald Reagan, Nancy worked as an actress, making 11 movies, the last when she starred with her husband in “Hellcats of the Navy” (1956).
In Washington, Nancy Reagan became known for her anti-drug work, launching a project fighting drug and alcohol abuse among young people, coining the slogan “Just Say No.”
In 1987, Nancy Reagan was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 66. She raised awareness for the disease among women, stressing the importance of annual mammograms and writing “My Turn”, a memoir.
“The West Virginia Republican Party is deeply saddened by the loss of former First Lady Nancy Reagan. Mrs. Reagan will be forever remembered as a strong, determined, and compassionate woman who so greatly enriched the lives of all she touched,” said the WV GOP in a release. “Her devotion to her husband, former President Ronald Reagan, will never be forgotten. Mrs. Reagan stood with President Reagan to lead our nation through difficult times to achieve some of our finest days as a nation. Our prayers are with the Reagan family and all those who knew her. Our nation is a better place because of Nancy Reagan’s service.”