
Nancy Reagan has died at the age of 94.

The former First Lady, wife of President Ronald Reagan, passed away in Bel Air on Sunday after suffering congestive heart failure.

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.

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Police officers stand to attention and salute as the hearse carrying the coffin of Nancy Reagan is driven away from her home in Bel Air to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

Nancy Reagan has died at the age of 94. She is pictured above during the funeral of her husband Ronald in June 2004

The former First Lady, who was married to President Ronald Reagan, passed away in Bel Air

Nancy Davis was an actress when she married Ronald Reagan - then president of the Screen Actors Guild - in 1952. Pictured: their wedding, left, and a head shot from a play at Smith College in Massachusetts, right

Despite her own health setbacks Mrs Reagan remained active in politics, particularly in stem-cell research

'Drugs take away the dream from every child's heart and replace it with a nightmare, and it's time we in America stand up and replace those dreams,' she said in a speech which led to 12,000 Just Say No clubs being set up across the country and a Just Say No Week implemented by Congress.

Her efforts are credited with driving cocaine use down to a 10-year low.

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.

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.

Sharon Hirtzer and her husband, Joe, were among the mourners outside the library Sunday. The Chicago couple were in California and had previously planned to visit the library before learning Mrs. Reagan's death on Sunday.

'I was just really said,' Sharon Hirtzer said. 'She was a great lady and had so much class.'

Hirtzer said Mrs Reagan brought glamour to the White House. Though Mrs Reagan was criticized for spending habits, Hirtzer said that never bothered her.

'I was always impressed by the way she carried herself,' Hirtzer said.

Born in New York City in 1921, her birth certificate reads Anne Francis Robbins, but everyone called her Nancy from the start.

A hearse parked outside the home of former First Lady Nancy Reagan in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday

A pedestrian passes by the sign at the entrance to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library where some visitors laid flowers on Sunday

This sign stands outside the main entrance gate of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California

At the time her mother Edith Luckett, an actress on Broadway, and her father Kenneth Robbins, a car salesman, were married and living in New York.

But within months of Nancy's birth, they divorced, her father disappeared, and her mother joined a traveling theater company.

As Edith traveled, Nancy lived with her aunt in Flushing, Queens, then Maryland until she was six years old.

In 1929, Edith married a neurosurgeon called Loyal Davis, who adopted Nancy and moved the family to Chicago.

Nancy went to college in Chicago then university in Massachusetts, majoring in English and Drama.

She then moved to New York to follow in her mother's footsteps and become an actress, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Katherine Hepburn.

In March 1949, she signed a seven-year contract with MGM and relocated to Hollywood to star in movies such as The Next Voice You Hear, which received a glittering review in the New York Times.

In October 1949, she met Ronald Reagan.

The couple met during Nancy's bid to clear her name after she was accused of being a Communist.

Her name appeared on a list of suspected 'sympathizers' published by the Hollywood Reporter.

Desperate to clarify that she was not a Communist, she arranged to meet with the then-president of the Screen Actor's Guild, Ronald Reagan, for dinner to discuss it.

According to her profile on the Reagan Library website, neither planned to have a late night but they got on so well they stayed at a night club for two shows after dinner.

From that moment on, they were dating but for a year they weren't exclusive, since Reagan had recently divorced.

They married in 1952 - and appeared in a movie together, Hellcats Of The Navy, in 1956.

She married Ronald Reagan in 1952. They served in the White House from 1981 to 1989. Pictured: The couple with their son Ronnie before the presidency (left) and on a 1984 trip to the Great Wall Of China (right)

Ronald sought Nancy's advice through his presidential campaigns and during his presidency (pictured at his inauguration)

President and Nancy Reagan at podium at the inaugural gala in the Kennedy Center in 1981

The couple at their California ranch in 1983. A statement released by the Reagan Library said: 'In lieu of flowers, we hope you will remember Mrs. Reagan with a memorial gift to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation

Nancy Reagan touches the casket of her husband, former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, as it lies in state in the rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington, June 9, 2004

JUST SAY NO: NANCY'S CAMPAIGN This speech the couple gave about drugs (above) was featured in Netflix hit Narcos Nancy Reagan's best-known work as First Lady was the Just Say No campaign. Spearheaded the drive against drugs, she spoke at schools and appeared on TV shows such as Dynasty and Diff'rent Strokes to promote the cause. 'Drugs take away the dream from every child's heart and replace it with a nightmare, and it's time we in America stand up and replace those dreams,' she said in a speech which led to 12,000 Just Say No clubs being set up across the country and a Just Say No Week implemented by Congress. Her efforts are credited with driving cocaine use down to a 10-year low. But critics dismissed her efforts as simplistic and branded her a meddlesome 'dragon lady.' Her widely-quoted slogan was mocked by rap group NWA, whose story was captured for the silver screen in 'Straight Outta Compton' last year, with a lyric in 'Gangsta Gangsta' – 'We don't just say no, we too busy saying yeah!' Other celebrities, however, helped her spread the message - including The A-Team star Mr T. and Clint Eastwood, who recorded a PSA alongside Mrs Reagan, telling drug dealers to 'take a hike'. Michael Jackson and the Flintstone Kids also gave the First Lady their celebrity endorsement by recording an anti-drug song for the campaign - an amended version of 'Beat It'. Advertisement

Ten years later, Ronald Reagan ran for office and in 1967 he was sworn in as governor of California.

Nancy didn't enjoy quiet life in Sacramento in their Victorian mansion, and at first commuted to and from Los Angeles.

However, she was applauded for her work, and was described by the Los Angeles Times as 'a model First Lady'.

Naming her 'woman of the year', the Times described her as 'informed, interest and beautifully turned out day after day'.

She used the role to champion causes, such as the 'foster grandparents' campaign, pairing lonely elderly people with children in need. The program is still in operation nationwide today.

As a couple, the Reagans were enlisted often by President Nixon to represent America around the world. They were dispatched to the opening of the Cultural Center in the Philippines in 1969, and to meet with officials in Japan, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan in 1971. In 1972, they were sent to Europe to meet with General Franco, Pope Paul VI, and the Queen of Denmark.

When Reagan's second term came to an end, he did not seek reelection. Instead, he turned his sights to the White House, unsuccessfully challenging incumbent Gerald Ford for the Republican nomination in 1976.

Trying again in 1980, Ronald sought Nancy's advice throughout, and she was rarely out of sight.

It was Nancy who fired their campaign manager after conceding the primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire, and even wrote the press release announcing the move. She then attended events daily, holding meetings and rallies to claw back his lead.

Martin Anderson, domestic policy adviser in Reagan's 1980 campaign and his first term in the White House, wrote in his book, Revolution that Nancy 'was an important and active participant in virtually all the important discussions that took place during the campaign.'

'She was highly intelligent, with a sixth sense for asking insightful, penetrating questions,' he added.

'Above all, her judgments on public policy issues, political strategy, and personnel were superb ... Reagan recognized a good mind when he encountered one, and he consulted her constantly on just about everything.

'On the other hand, he would never hesitate to overrule her counsel, although he seldom did so because she was usually right.'

In the White House, she was equally influential. Nancy was key in helping her husband move out from behind the Iran-contra scandal, which began in 1985.

According to a biography, she persuaded Ronald to soften his stance on the USSR, recruiting White House staffers to convince the president that detente was the best course.

Her efforts culminated in her husband famously telling Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev to 'Tear Down This Wall' in Berlin in 1987.

She convinced him not to cut benefits so deeply to fund the Star Wars program, was against military intervention in Nicaragua and told him not to make a controversial trip to a German cemetery, author HW Brands writes in Reagan: The Life.

Reagan relied on his wife so much, Brands wrote, that he called her 'mummy'. The nickname was not just because she was the mother of his two children, Brands explains. In love and devotion he also found 'some of the security he had relied on from his mother in childhood'.

Political scientist Richard Neustadt in his book Presidential Power And The Modern Presidents: 'The aide in charge of warning him (Reagan) when threats appeared against his public standing or historical appeal ... that special staff role, of immense importance to someone habitually incurious about detail, had been assigned his wife.

'More precisely, she had made it hers since Sacramento.

Mrs Reagan pictured, left, on the popular TV show Diff'rent Strokes to promote the Just Say No campaign in 1983. She also appeared on Dynasty. She is seen, right, getting a basketball lesson in 1988

Her efforts with the Just Say No campaign are credited with driving cocaine use down to a 10-year low

Nancy was known for her interior design of the White House, and at Christmas she came into her own. Here (left) she is pictured with Mr T who dressed as Santa for the occasion in 1983. She is pictured (right) helping Ronald blow out candles on his birthday cake in 1993

Nancy Reagan (center left) with (L-R) Gerald Ford, his wife Betty Ford, Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, his wife Pat Ryan, Barbara Bush, and George H W Bush at the opening of the Nixon Presidential Library in 1990

'But when it came to people, her reported targets seem well chosen, aim unerring and timing right for someone who must wait for someone else to pull the trigger.'

Later in life, Nancy was Ronald's primary carer as he struggled with Alzheimer's for 10 years.

By 1999, Nancy Reagan had been trying to cope with his diagnosis for five years, and she was asked in a C-Span interview what she had learned.

'That it is probably the worst disease you can ever have,' she replied. 'Because you lose contact and you're not able to share. In our case, to share all of those wonderful memories that we have.'

Asked what she did when her husband didn't recognize visitors, she replied: 'Well, now we don't have visitors ... we never let that happen.'

She is survived by two children: Patricia Ann and Ronald Prescott.

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

BEFORE SHE WAS MRS REAGAN: NANCY DAVIS' NOTABLE WORK IN HOLLYWOOD FROM 1949 TO 1957 THE DOCTOR AND THE GIRL (1949) Nancy Reagan's first big screen role was in director Curtis Bernhardt's drama about a wealthy doctor (Glenn Ford) who defies his family's wishes by opening a practice in a poorer neighborhood. Reagan played the main character's sister Mariette, who is engaged to a class-lusting physician (played by Warner Anderson). Nancy Reagan pictured in her first big screen role as the sister of a wealthy doctor played by Glenn Ford in The Doctor And The Girl EAST SIDE, WEST SIDE (1950) In this Mervyn LeRoy-directed melodrama about a married couple torn apart by the husband's infidelities, Reagan played Helen Lee, a socialite and best friend to Barbara Stanwyck's wronged wife. James Mason played Stanwyck's philandering husband, one of whose consorts was Ava Gardner. 'The ladies all wear expensive garments and the gentlemen drink expensive booze. But that still doesn't elevate the effort above the level of hopeful pretense,' wrote New York Times critic Bosley Crowther in his review. SHADOW ON THE WALL (1950) After a run of playing mostly wives and girlfriends, Reagan got a particularly meaty and serious role in this Pat Jackson-directed psychological crime thriller about a 6-year-old girl (Gigi Perreau) who loses her memory after witnessing the murder of her stepmother. Reagan played a doctor who endeavors to help cure the girl and makes some critical discoveries about the nature of the murder along the way. The New York Times said Reagan gave a 'beautiful and convincing' performance. THE NEXT VOICE YOU HEAR ... (1950) When God starts giving radio broadcasts in this odd little William A. Wellman film, a married couple (James Whitmore and Nancy Reagan) and their 11-year-old son living in suburban Los Angeles are forced to confront their own faith. Reagan was praised for her 'delightful' performance as the kind, gentle and very pregnant wife in the film. NIGHT INTO MORNING (1951) Reagan plays a widow who saves Ray Milland from his depression and drunkenness after his wife and child die tragically in a fire. Milland and Reagan were both applauded for their performances, but the melancholy story was seen as a bit of a letdown. HELLCATS OF THE NAVY (1957) This WWII-set film about a submarine commander charting minefields off the Japanese coast marks the only time Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan, already married for five years, shared the big screen. As the land-locked love interest, Nancy Reagan didn't have much to do besides fret though. It's far from a classic - in fact it's somewhat derided - but the film remains an interesting document of historical value just by nature of the fact that it features the future President and first lady. In March 1949, she signed a seven-year contract with MGM and relocated to Hollywood to star in movies. Pictured left and right in 1950 Advertisement

A statement released by the Reagan Library said: 'In lieu of flowers, we hope you will remember Mrs. Reagan with a memorial gift to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation.

'The Reagan Foundation was created by President and Mrs. Reagan to preserve the Reagan Legacy and continue President Reagan's work for the benefit of future generations.'

On Sunday, tributes flooded in from political figures including aspiring presidents Ted Cruz and Donald Trump.

Former President George W Bush released a statement on behalf of himself and his wife.

It read: 'Laura and I are saddened by the loss of former First Lady Nancy Reagan. Mrs Reagan was fiercely loyal to her beloved husband, and that devotion was matched only by her devotion to our country.

'Her influence on the White House was complete and lasting. During her time as first lady and since, she raised awareness about drug abuse and breast cancer.

Former president George W Bush paid tribute to Mrs Reagan on Sunday

U.S. President Barack Obama escorts former first lady Nancy Reagan to a signing ceremony for the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in June 2009

THE REAGANS' LOVE STORY As tributes poured in for the much loved former First Lady, many remarked on Nancy's love and devotion to husband Ronald. Michael Reagan, her stepson, tweeted: 'She is once again with the man she loved', while former President George W Bush also spoke about her love for her husband in a statement released on behalf of himself and his wife. It read: 'Mrs Reagan was fiercely loyal to her beloved husband, and that devotion was matched only by her devotion to our country.' While former President Bill Clinton remarked: 'Nancy was an extraordinary woman: a gracious First Lady, proud mother, and devoted wife to President Reagan - her Ronnie. 'Her strength of character was legendary, particularly when tested by the attempted assassination of the President, and throughout his battle with Alzheimer's.' Here we look back at their relationship. President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan enjoy the crowd as they proceed down Pennsylvania Ave. during his Inaugural Parade after being sworn in as the 40th President of the United States on January 20, 1981 MEETING Nancy met Ronald in 1949. While working as a young actress, the Hollywood Reporter - an industry paper - published a list of suspected Communist sympathizers. Nancy Davis, as she was at the time, was shocked to see herself on the roll and feared it could end her career as she would be turned down for roles. She sought advice from the director of the movie she was working on at the time, East Side West Side, to clear her name and he advised her to speak with the president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) - Ronald Reagan. The Reporter later issued a clarification saying it was a different Nancy Davis but she decided to still meet with Ronald. FIRST DATE They went to a trendy restaurant on the Sunset Strip and to a show at a nearby nightclub. Before meeting the pair had both wanted the opportunity to end the evening if things were not going well and had both told the other that they had an 'early call' the next day. As the evening progressed they decided to stay for a second show at the club and by the time the evening was oveer they both admitted that neither had calls the next day. DATING The pair saw each other constantly but not exclusively. Ronald was recently divorced and hesitant to get into another relationship straight away. Mondays were a regular date night after SAG meetings where they would go out together or with other members of the board. WEDDING BELLS The pair dated for two years until on Christmas day 1951 Ronald hinted that he intended to ask Nancy to marry him. They officially announced their engagement on February 21, 1952, and married just days later on March 4, 1952. They had a private ceremony at the Little Brown Church in the Valley. Bill Holden was Ronald's best man, and his wife, Ardis, Nancy's matron od honor. They went to the Ardens' home for dinner and wedding cake after the ceremony. They went on honeymoon at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel. This photo from 1967 shows the Reagans with their two children, Patricia and Ronald Jr MARRIED LIFE The newlyweds first lived in Pacific Palisades and welcomed their first daughter, Patricia Ann, on October 21, 1952. Ronald had two children, Michael and Maureen, from his first marriage that he also supported. In late 1954 Ronald begun hosting a TV program sponsored by General Electric and the company offered to help the duo build a new home on San Onofre drive in pacific Palisades. It was billed as 'The House of the Future' and in return for the assistance the couple agreed the house could be used for advertisements. It became their home for 25 years. Nancy suffered two miscarriages after Patricia's birth but finally had a son, Ronald Prescott, on May 20, 1958. In 1957 they also made the movie Hellcats of the Navy together, which was to be Nancy's last film. A still from the 1957 movie Hellcats of the Navy which the Reagans starred in together. it was to be Nancy's last movie POLITICAL CAREER Ronald's political career really begun during the 1964 presidential campaign when he volunteered with hopeful Barry Goldwater. Known for giving speeches, Ronald delivered a speech to a national audience on October 27, 1964. Although Goldwater ultimately lost, Ronald's political career begun. For the next year he started traveling to see if voters would support him and on January 4, 1966, declared his candidacy for the Republican nomination for governor and went on to win the primary. Nancy was involved in his campaign from the start, making her own campaign appearances and taking questions. On January 3, 1967, Ronald was sworn in as Governor of California and they moved to the Governor's mansion in Sacramento. In 1970 he ran for and won his second term as governor. President Nixon called on him a number of times to represent the U.S. around the globe and the couple went on many trips to Europe and a visit to the Far East in 1973. Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy in their Pacific Palisades home relaxing by the pool in August 1976 At the end of his second term the couple returned home to LA in 1975. They still had their Pacific Palisades home but had also purchased a ranch north of Santa Barbara which they would frequently return to whenever they could over the next 20 years. In 1976 some republicans were urging Ronald to run for president but despite a campaign supported by Nancy he did not have enough votes for nomination. However he didn't given up on his dream and by 1979 he was the top contender for the Republican nomination. He announced his candidacy on November 13, 1979 and on November 4, 1980, was elected the 40th president of the US. LIFE AT THE WHITE HOUSE When the Reagans moved into the White House in 1981, Nancy was surprised and disappointed at the condition of the home and embarked on a major renovation of the property. She did not want to spend public funds to do so and instead took in donations from across the country to transform it. Putting her feet up: The Reagans enjoy a quiet moment at the White House First Lady Nancy Reagan dances with entertainer Frank Sinatra as U.S. President Ronald Reagan attempts to 'cut-in' in the East Room of the White House in February 1981 ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT On March 30, 1981, an assassination attempt was made on Ronald by gunman John Hinckley Jr. He was shot under his left arm which punctured his lung and nearly hit his heart. Nancy rushed to be at her husband's side in George Washington University Hospital where he stayed for two weeks before returning to the White House. A scene shot of the assassination attempt against Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981 This photo taken on April 3, 1981, shows President Reagan with Nancy inside George Washington University Hospital four days after the assassination attempt on him President Ronald Reagan (center) waves to the crowd under a 'welcome home Mr President' sign, surrounded by his family and bodyguards, as he returns to the White House after recovering from an assassination attempt Due to the attempt on his life Ronald did not attend the British royal wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana but he encouraged his wife to do so and she spent one week in London. This is the longest she had been away from her husband in 29 years. While she was there she attended 18 events on behalf of the nation. FIGHTING CANCER During his presidency in 1984 Ronald had colon cancer. Nancy was then diagnosed with breast cancer three years later. In her memoirs 'My Turn' Nancy referred to October 1987 as 'a terrible month'. After a regular health examination a tumor was found in her left breast. It was malignant and she had the breast removed. Thankfully medics found that the cancer had not spread. President Ronald Reagan visits his wife, First Lady Nancy Reagan, at Bethesda Naval Hospital after her breast cancer surgery in 1987 RONALD DIAGNOSED WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE When the Reagans left the White House in 1989 and returned to California, Nancy had been looking forward to them spending their 'golden years' together however this was cut short when Ronald was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. By 1995 the couple joined forces with the National Alzheimer's Association by forming an Alzheimer's Association affiliate, the Ronald and Nancy Reagan research Institute. In 2000 Nancy released a collection of letters sent to her over the years by her husband entitled 'I Love You, Ronnie - The Letters of Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan'. She described the disease as 'truly a long, long goodbye'. Throughout Ronald's ten years battling the disease Nancy was by his side as his caregiver and protector, rarely leaving his side. He died on June 5, 2004. During his final moment when his breathing was labored he opened his eyes and gazed straight at his loving wife. Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan is shown with former first lady Nancy Reagan in Washington in this February 6, 1993, photo *Source Reagan Foundation Advertisement

'When we moved into the White House, we benefitted from her work to make those historic rooms beautiful.

'Laura and I are grateful for the life of Nancy Reagan, and we send our condolences to the entire Reagan family.'

Bill and Hillary Clinton said in a joint statement: 'Hillary and I were deeply saddened to learn of Nancy Reagan's passing. Nancy was an extraordinary woman: a gracious First Lady, proud mother, and devoted wife to President Reagan—her Ronnie.

'Her strength of character was legendary, particularly when tested by the attempted assassination of the President, and throughout his battle with Alzheimer's.

'She leaves a remarkable legacy of good that includes her tireless advocacy for Alzheimer's research and the Foster Grandparent Program. We join all Americans in extending our prayers and condolences to her beloved children and her entire family during this difficult time.'

Trump tweeted: 'Nancy Reagan, the wife of a truly great President, was an amazing woman. She will be missed!'

Cruz said: 'Nancy Reagan will be remembered for her deep passion for this nation and love for her husband, Ronald. The Reagan family is in our prayers.'

Sean Spicer, head of the RNC committee, said: 'The world, the country and @GOP lost an amazing woman today. May God bless #nancyreagan and the Reagan family'

Arnold Schwarzenegger, who like Reagan went from acting to governing California, wrote on Twitter: 'Nancy Reagan was one of my heroes. She served as First Lady with unbelievable power, class and grace and left her mark on the world.'

Mitt Romney tweeted: 'With the passing of Nancy Reagan, God and Ronnie have finally welcomed a choice soul home.'

Joan Collins said: 'My friend Nancy Reagan died aged 94 The end of an era, #Love the 80s'

Mrs Reagan's adopted stepson Michael Reagan said: 'I am saddened by the passing of my step mother Nancy Reagan...She is once again with the man she loved.God Bless...'

Rand Paul tweeted: 'Nancy Reagan was an exemplary First Lady and woman. She will be missed. My thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones. RIP Mrs. Reagan'