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Birth/Early Life
Birthday February 6, 1911 -
famly tree
Son of John Edward Reagan and Nelle Clyde Reagan
Husband of Nancy Davis Reagan
Ex-husband of Sarah Jane Wyman
Father of Maureen Elizabeth Reagan; Christine Reagan; Michael Edward Reagan; Patti Davis and Ron Reagan
Brother of Neil "Moon" Reagan -
Politics
Throughout his life, Ronald Reagan displayed a strong interest in politics. Reagan's national political outlook was shaped by his parents, both Democrats, and especially by the onslaught of the Great Depression. The entire Reagan family supported Franklin D. Roosevelt for President in 1932 and backed his New Deal. Roosevelt's resonant optimism dazzled Reagan, who imitated the President's 1932 inaugural speech on a broomstick microphone to college -
Employment
After graduation, Reagan landed a job as a radio sportscaster at WOC in Davenport, Iowa, for $10 per game and transportation expenses. His lively imagination and resonant radio voice compensated for his inexperience in radio -
Education
Reagan was raised in a low-income family in small towns of northern Illinois. He graduated from Eureka College in 1932 and worked as a sports commentator on several regional radio stations. After moving to California in 1937, he found work as an actor and starred in a few major productions. -
Legacy
Governor -
Presidency
After leaving the governor's office at the end of 1974, Reagan stayed in the limelight by writing a column that appeared in 175 newspapers, recording commentaries that aired on more than 200 radio stations, and giving speeches. He dodged the question of his political future to avoid giving the appearance of undermining President Gerald Ford, who had in August 1974 succeeded President Nixon after he resigned in the wake of the Watergate scandal -
Death
He died of pneumonia at his home at 13:09 PDT, at the age of 93. President George W. Bush was in Paris when Reagan died and acknowledged the death in a press conference. This is a sad hour in the life of America.
