Historians remember Nancy Reagan’s time in the desert
Reaction from all over the world Monday on the death of former first lady Nancy Reagan.
Reagan died of congestive heart failure Sunday at her home in Los Angeles.
Monday mourners are leaving flowers at a makeshift memorial outside the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.
The former first lady spent quite a bit of time here in the desert, mostly visiting friends Walter and Leonore Annenberg at their estate in Rancho Mirage.
“The entire Sunnylands family felt a great loss. She had been such a great part of the history of Sunnylands. Ronald and Nancy cam here over decades,” said Janice Lyle, director of Sunnylands Center & Gardens.
One of the main reasons the Reagans came to the desert was to visit the Annenburgs.
“Ronald Reagan would play his annual one golf game, but they also enjoyed relaxing by the swimming pool, wandering around the estate,” Lyle said.
She wrote in the estate’s guest book “leaving Sunnylands was like leaving heaven”.
“I think she enjoyed the seclusion of Sunnylands and the ability to come here and get away from the regular cares of the world and actually relax in this amazingly beautiful setting,” Lyle said.
Aside from spending time at Sunnylands, Nancy Reagan’s social circle extended to include Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope and former president Gerald Fords and his wife Betty.
“They were really close with Sinatra. And Reagan was really close to him after he made the switch from being democratic to a republican supporter,” said Renee Brown with the Palm Springs Historical Society.
The last time the former first lady was in the desert was for her friend Betty Ford’s funeral in 2011.
Brown said Nancy Reagan will forever be cemented in Palm Springs history.
“I think she’ll be remembered for being a total support for her husband. He even said in many interviews he wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t for his wife. She was always by his side she was always protecting him,” Brown said.
Nancy Reagan’s funeral will be held Friday at 11 a.m. our time, according to a spokesperson for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
Reagan will be buried at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, next to her husband Ronald Reagan.
The former first lady will lay in repose Wednesday and Thursday.
