Anne Manning Robbins

Born Anne Frances Robbins in New York City, Nancy Reagan's early life was marked by her parents' separation and a period living with relatives in Maryland before her mother remarried. She was adopted by her stepfather and adopted the name Nancy Davis. She pursued a career as a Hollywood actress in the 1940s and 1950s, appearing in films like 'Donovan's Brain' and 'The Next Voice You Hear...'.

In 1952, she married Ronald Reagan, then president of the Screen Actors Guild. She served as First Lady of California while her husband was governor and later became First Lady of the United States in 1981. As First Lady, she initiated the "Just Say No" anti-drug campaign and faced criticism for White House spending and accepting designer clothing. A notable revelation was her consultation with an astrologer regarding the President's schedule after an assassination attempt. She was known to have significant influence on her husband's decisions. After leaving the White House, she dedicated herself to caring for her husband during his battle with Alzheimer's disease until his death. She remained active in public life, supporting causes like embryonic stem cell research, until her death in 2016.

Anne Frances Robbins was born in 1921, later adopting the name Nancy Davis. Her childhood involved parental separation and living with relatives before her mother remarried a neurosurgeon, leading to a comfortable upbringing in Chicago. Davis attended Girls' Latin School and later Smith College, where she studied English and drama. She began her acting career in New York, appearing on Broadway in the mid-1940s. She moved to Hollywood in 1949, signing a contract with MGM and appearing in numerous films. While she was a "reliable" and "solid" performer, her roles often typecast her as a wife or mother, and she did not achieve widespread stardom. She stated her ambition was a happy marriage, and she viewed her acting career as a way to occupy her time before finding a partner.

Nancy Reagan became First Lady of the United States in 1981. Her tenure was marked by her prominent role in public life, most notably founding the "Just Say No" campaign to combat recreational drug use. This initiative, while widely recognized, also drew criticism for potentially stigmatizing communities affected by the crack epidemic. Early in her husband's first term, she also faced public scrutiny for decisions regarding White House china replacement and accepting clothing from fashion designers. Her influence on President Reagan's personnel and diplomatic decisions was considered significant. A later revelation indicated she consulted an astrologer to help plan the President's schedule following an assassination attempt in 1981.

Following the end of her husband's presidency, the Reagans returned to California. Nancy Reagan devoted much of her time to caring for Ronald Reagan after his Alzheimer's disease diagnosis in 1994, until his passing in 2004. She remained involved with the Reagan Library and continued to advocate for causes, including embryonic stem cell research. In her later years, she received acclaim for her devotion to her husband during his illness. She passed away in 2016 at the age of 94 from congestive heart failure.