Maureen Elizabeth Reagan

Maureen Elizabeth Reagan (January 4, 1941 – August 8, 2001) was the child of former President Ronald Reagan and his first wife, Jane Wyman. Maureen's brother Michael Reagan was born and adopted into the family in 1945. Their sister Christine died the day after her birth in 1947. Maureen and Michael gained two additional siblings, Patti Davis and Ron Reagan, through their father's second marriage to Nancy Reagan.

As a young woman, Reagan acted in films, including Kissin' Cousins (1964) with Elvis Presley.[3] She married and divorced John Filippone and David G. Sills, before marrying her third husband, Dennis Revell, in 1981. During her lifetime she was involved with the Republican Party and worked as a political activist, radio talk show host, commentator and health care advocate. Her most active political years were in the 1980s, during her father's presidency, when she was a member of the California World Trade Commission, chairwoman of the United States delegation to the United Nations' Decade for Women Conference in Kenya, in 1985; co-chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, and chairwoman of the Republican Women's Political Action League. She was the first daughter of a president to run for political office, but both of her attempts at election to a public office ended in defeat. She ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate from California in 1982, and in 1992 for California's 36th congressional district. Although they maintained a united front, Maureen Reagan differed from her father on several key issues. Although reared Roman Catholic following her mother's conversion, she was pro-choice on abortion. She also believed that Oliver North should have been court-martialed.[8] After her father announced his diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in 1994, she became a member of the Alzheimer's Association board of directors and served as the group’s spokeswoman. During her hospitalization for melanoma cancer, Maureen was only floors away from her father, who had suffered a severe fall. She served on the Board of Trustees of her father's alma mater, Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois from March 2000 until her death. On May 9, 2000, she was the speaker at the dedication of the Ronald Reagan Peace Garden on campus. The Reagan Peace Garden recognized her father's contribution to the end of the Cold War. It had been raining all day during several other speeches, but when she stepped to the lectern the sun broke through. She opened her remarks to the crowd of more than 1,000 by saying, "the sun always shines on Ronald Reagan." She died in Sacramento, California, in 2001, aged 60, from melanoma, and was survived by her parents, stepmother, husband Dennis, and their adopted Ugandan-American daughter, Rita Mirembe Revell. Reagan volunteered with actor David Hyde Pierce, of TV's Frasier, at the Alzheimer’s Association. At Maureen's funeral on August 19, 2001, Pierce spoke to the gathering at Cathedral of Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento, California and recalled his friend's tireless devotion to fighting the mind-robbing illness. "When she was given lemons, she did not make lemonade. She took the lemons, threw them back and said, 'Oh, no you don't.

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Maureen Reagan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Maureen Reagan Robert Urich Maureen Reagan and Jack Hogan.jpg Maureen Reagan (center) with Robert Urich (left) and Jack Hogan (right) in a publicity photo for the television show Vector, 1974 Born Maureen Elizabeth Reagan January 4, 1941 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Died August 8, 2001 (aged 60) Granite Bay, California, U.S. Religion Roman Catholic Spouse(s) John Filippone (m. 1961–62) David Sills (m. 1964–67) Dennis C. Revell (m. 1981–2001) Parents Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) Jane Wyman (1917-2007) Maureen Elizabeth Reagan (January 4, 1941 – August 8, 2001) was the first child of Ronald Reagan and his first wife, Jane Wyman.[2] Her siblings were Michael Reagan (adopted); a sister, Christine, who died shortly after birth, and—from her father's second marriage to Nancy Davis—Patti Davis and Ron Reagan. Contents [hide] 1 Biography 1.1 Early life 1.2 Acting career 1.3 Political activities 1.4 Personal life 1.5 Death 2 References 3 External links Biography[edit]

Early life[edit] Reagan graduated from Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles and briefly attended Marymount University.[3] Acting career[edit] Reagan pursued a career in acting in her youth, appearing in films such as Kissin' Cousins (1964) with Elvis Presley.[4] She also sang and performed in sketches on a January 28, 1971 episode of The Dean Martin Show. Political activities[edit] Reagan was involved with the Republican Party and worked as a political activist, radio talk show host, commentator and health care advocate. Her most active political years were in the 1980s, during her father's presidency, when she was a member of the California World Trade Commission, chairwoman of the United States delegation to the United Nations' Decade for Women Conference in Kenya, in 1985; co-chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, and chairwoman of the Republican Women's Political Action League.[citation needed] She was the first daughter of a president to run for political office,[5] but both of her attempts at election to a public office ended in defeat. She ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate from California in 1982, and in 1992 for California's 36th congressional district.[6] Although they maintained a united front, Maureen Reagan differed from her father on several key issues. Although reared Roman Catholic following her mother's conversion, she was pro-choice on abortion.[7] She also held the belief that Oliver North should have been court-martialed.[8] After her father announced his diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in 1994, Maureen Reagan became a member of the Alzheimer's Association board of directors and served as the group’s spokeswoman. During her hospitalization for melanoma cancer, Maureen was only floors away from her father, who had suffered a severe fall.[9] Reagan served on the Board of Trustees of her father's alma mater, Eureka College, in Eureka, Illinois, from March 2000 until her death. On May 9, 2000, she was the speaker at the dedication of the Ronald Reagan Peace Garden on campus. The Reagan Peace Garden recognized her father's contribution to the end of the Cold War. It had been raining all day during several other speeches, but when she stepped to the lectern the sun broke through. She opened her remarks to the crowd of more than 1,000 by saying, "the sun always shines on Ronald Reagan".[citation needed] Personal life[edit] She was married three times: John Filippone, a policeman; they were married in 1961 and divorced in 1962. David G. Sills, a lawyer and Marine Corps officer; they married on February 28, 1964 and divorced in 1967. Dennis C. Revell, whom she married in April 25, 1981.[10] She and Revell had one daughter, (Margaret) Rita Mirembe Revell, who was born in Uganda.[11][12][13][14] The Revells became her guardians in 1994, and they adopted her in 2001.[1] Death[edit] Maureen Reagan died in Granite Bay, California, on August 8, 2001, aged 60, from melanoma. Reagan volunteered with actor David Hyde Pierce, of TV's Frasier, at the Alzheimer’s Association. At Maureen's funeral on August 19, 2001, Pierce spoke to the gathering at Cathedral of Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento, California and recalled his friend's tireless devotion to fighting the mind-robbing illness. "When she was given lemons, she did not make lemonade. She took the lemons, threw them back and said, 'Oh, no you don't.'"[15] References[edit]

^ Jump up to: a b "Mourning Maureen Reagan". Jet (Johnson Publishing Company) 100 (12): 18. September 3, 2001. ISSN 0021-5996. Jump up ^ "Biography". Oliver Del Signore. Retrieved 2011-01-16. Jump up ^ Allen, Jane (August 9, 2001). "Maureen Reagan, 60, Dies of Cancer". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2013-03-30. Jump up ^ "Maureen Reagan". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2009-01-23. Jump up ^ Doug Wead, All the Presidents' Children: Triumph and Tragedy in the Lives of America's First Families. Atria Books (2003). p. 155. Jump up ^ Foerstel, Karen; Herbert N. Foerstel (1996). "The Decade of the Woman: An Uncertain Promise". Climbing the Hill: Gender Conflict in Congress. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 77–78. ISBN 0-275-94914-1, 9780275949143 Check |isbn= value (help). Jump up ^ Foerstel 1996, p. 77. Jump up ^ Reagan, Maureen (2001). "Iran-Contra". First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir. Little, Brown and Company. p. 374. ISBN 0-316-73636-8, 9780316736367 Check |isbn= value (help). Jump up ^ "Family Misfortune". People (magazine). 2001-01-29. Vol. 55 No. 4. Retrieved 2009-01-23. "A Fall Lands Ronald Reagan in the Same Hospital as His Cancer-Stricken Daughter" Jump up ^ "Daughter of President Is Married in California". New York Times. April 25, 1981. Retrieved 2011-01-17. Jump up ^ United States. Congress. House... "For the relief of Rita Mirembe Revell (a.k.a. Margaret Rita Mirembe)". Open Library. Retrieved 2011-09-05. Jump up ^ Congressional Record - Google Books. Retrieved 2011-09-05. Jump up ^ "Statement by the Press Secretary". Georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov. 2001-07-19. Retrieved 2011-09-05. Jump up ^ "Mourning Maureen Reagan | Jet | Find Articles". at BNET. 2001-09-03. Retrieved 2011-09-05. Jump up ^ "Reagan's Daughter Mourned". nydailynews.com. 2001-08-19. Retrieved 2010-01-14. External links[edit]

Gravesite Photo Maureen Reagan at the Internet Movie Database Upstairs at the White House

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Maureen Elizabeth Reagan was the first child of Ronald Reagan and his first wife, Jane Wyman. Her brother was Michael Reagan and notable siblings were Patti Davis and Ron Reagan, from her father's second marriage to Nancy Davis.

Reagan was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She graduated from Marymount Secondary School, Tarrytown, NY in 1958 and briefly attended Marymount University. Her parents also had another daughter, Christine, who died shortly after birth.

Reagan pursued a career in acting in her youth, appearing in films such as Kissin' Cousins (1964) with Elvis Presley.

Reagan spoke on behalf of Republican candidates throughout the country, including twenty appearances alone in 1967 for an unsuccessful Mississippi gubernatorial nominee, Rubel Phillips, a former segregationist who ran that year on a platform of racial moderation.

Reagan was the first daughter of a president to run for political office, but both of her attempts at election ended in defeat. She ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate from California in 1982 – Pete Wilson was the eventual winner – and in 1992 for California's 36th congressional district.

Although they maintained a united front, Maureen Reagan differed from her father on several key issues. Although reared Roman Catholic following her mother's conversion, she was pro-choice on abortion. She also held the belief that Oliver North should have been court-martialed.

After her father announced his diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in 1994, Maureen Reagan became a member of the Alzheimer's Association board of directors and served as the group's spokeswoman. During her hospitalization for melanoma cancer, Maureen was only floors away from her father, who had suffered a severe fall.

She was married three times: John Filippone, a policeman; they were married in 1961 and divorced the following year. David G. Sills, a lawyer and Marine Corps officer; they married on February 28, 1964; the couple divorced in 1967. Dennis C. Revell, CEO of Revell Communications (a national public relations/public affairs firm), whom she married on April 25, 1981. She and Revell had one daughter, Margaret "Rita" Mirembe Revell, who was born in Uganda. The Revells became Rita's guardians in 1994. They adopted her in 2001. Rita was the beneficiary of a private bill to facilitate her adoption as Maureen and Dennis Revell were unable to complete the necessary paperwork and other requirements by the Ugandan government, including a personal visitation to that country, due, in large part, to Maureen Reagan Revell's terminal cancer which claimed her life in 2001, aged 60.

Reagan died in Granite Bay, California, on August 8, 2001, aged 60, from melanoma. She was survived by her parents. Reagan is interred at Calvary Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum in Sacramento, California.