RONALD REAGAN

 

Ronald Wilson Reagan was born February 6, 1911, in the family five-room rented flat above a bakery on Main Street in Tampico,  Illinois. His father was John Edward “jack” Reagan (1833-1941), shoe salesman. His mother was Nelle Wilson Reagan (1885-1962). Reagan had an older brother-(John) Neil “Moon” Reagan  

Ronald Reagan first marriage was with actress Jane Wyman when he was 28 and she was 26 years of age on January 26, 1940, at the Kirk o’ Heather wedding Chapel near Hollywood , California . She was born Sarah Jane Fulks but adopted the name Jane Wyman which was suggested by the film company Warner Brothers. Unfortunately, Reagan and Wyman married ended in a divorce in May, 1948.  

Ronald Reagan married actress Nancy Davis when he was 41 and she was 30 years of age on March 4, 1952, at the little brown church in the San Fernando Valley, California .  

By his first wife Reagan had a daughter- Maureen Reagan (1941-2001), businesswoman. They adopted a son – Michael Reagan (1945- ). By his second wife Reagan had a daughter and a son-Patti (Reagan) Davis (1952- ), actress, novelist and Ronald Prescott Reagan (1958- ), dancer, journalist.  

He was thought to read at the age of five by his mother. He was an A’s student in grade school. He was a low B student at Dixon High school , class of 1928. He was a football player, made the basketball and track teams. He assisted Eureka ( Illinois ) college from 1928-1932 majoring in economics and sociology.  

Reagan was serving as a second lieutenant in the Army reserve when his unit was activated during WWII. He served in the Army from July 1942 to July 1945. In 1932 He got a job as a sportscaster at WOC. He was later promoted to staff announcer. By then he had decided to use his career as a stepping stone to become an actor. He appeared in many different movies between 1937 to 1965 when he started his political career. He was elected Governor of California in 1967 and served until 1975.  

The republicans nominated Reagan for the presidency in July of 1980 and he was elected president of the United States in November 4, 1980. He was reelected for a second term in November 6, 1984.  His vice president was George Bush (1924- ) who served 1981-1989. Ronald Reagan became the oldest president in the United States History. He was just shy of his 78th birthday on leaving office.  

At age 84 Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease an incurable neurological disorder. He suffered this sickness for almost a decade. Ronald Reagan died on June 5, 2004 at age 93, Bel Air, Los Angeles , California .

First Inaugural speech     Second Inaugural speech

 

 

Back to Presidents

Useful links: citizenship Test, The constitution, US President, Bill of Rights

Home   

web counter