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| | {{cquote|'''''He proved he was right about the big things.'' Faced with editorial denunciations at home and massive demonstrations in [[Europe]] against his plan to put missiles there to offset a [[Soviet]] threat, Reagan went ahead and did it anyway. The Soviets could not keep pace with the buildup or Reagan's proposed missile defense system (derided by insincere and dangerous critics as "[[Star Wars]]"). ''When those critics could not bring themselves to admit they were wrong, they unpersuasively claimed the Soviet Union fell under its own weight.'' More accurately, Reagan pushed it onto "the ash heap of history," with the able assistance of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and [[Pope John Paul II]]. What Reagan did more than anything else - and it will be his lasting legacy - is replace [[despair]] with hope. Most people, even his detractors, felt a glow from being in his presence. | | {{cquote|'''''He proved he was right about the big things.'' Faced with editorial denunciations at home and massive demonstrations in [[Europe]] against his plan to put missiles there to offset a [[Soviet]] threat, Reagan went ahead and did it anyway. The Soviets could not keep pace with the buildup or Reagan's proposed missile defense system (derided by insincere and dangerous critics as "[[Star Wars]]"). ''When those critics could not bring themselves to admit they were wrong, they unpersuasively claimed the Soviet Union fell under its own weight.'' More accurately, Reagan pushed it onto "the ash heap of history," with the able assistance of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and [[Pope John Paul II]]. What Reagan did more than anything else - and it will be his lasting legacy - is replace [[despair]] with hope. Most people, even his detractors, felt a glow from being in his presence. |
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| − | '''''He was the kindest, most gracious president I have met, and I have met them all since JFK. In his presence you felt he was interested in you and not himself. He was a good man.''''' <ref>[http://www.townhall.com/columnists/CalThomas/2004/06/07/ronald_reagans_wonderful_life Ronald Reagan's wonderful life], [[Townhall]]</ref>}} | + | '''''He was the kindest, most gracious president I have met, and I have met them all since JFK. In his presence you felt he was interested in you and not himself. He was a good man.'''''<ref>[http://www.townhall.com/columnists/CalThomas/2004/06/07/ronald_reagans_wonderful_life Ronald Reagan's wonderful life], [[Townhall]]</ref>}} |
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| | [[Brian Mulroney]], the [[Canada|Canadian]] Prime Minister, eulogized Reagan at his state funeral: | | [[Brian Mulroney]], the [[Canada|Canadian]] Prime Minister, eulogized Reagan at his state funeral: |
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| | ==Family== | | ==Family== |
| | [[File:Reagan Family.jpg|left|160px|thumb|Ronald and Nancy Reagan with Patti Davis, Ron, Maureen, and Michael Reagan, 1976.]] | | [[File:Reagan Family.jpg|left|160px|thumb|Ronald and Nancy Reagan with Patti Davis, Ron, Maureen, and Michael Reagan, 1976.]] |
| − | On January 26, 1940, Reagan married actress Jane Wyman at The Wee Kirk o' the Heather chapel in Glendale, California.<ref>[http://articles.latimes.com/1989-08-13/local/me-908_1_forest-lawn 'Till Death Do Us Part : A Wedding at a Cemetery Might Seem Macabre, but Forest Lawn's 2 Chapels Are Booked 6 Months Ahead], [[Los Angeles Times]]</ref> | + | On January 26, 1940, Reagan married actress Jane Wyman at The Wee Kirk o' the Heather chapel in Glendale, California.<ref>[http://articles.latimes.com/1989-08-13/local/me-908_1_forest-lawn 'Till Death Do Us Part: A Wedding at a Cemetery Might Seem Macabre, but Forest Lawn's 2 Chapels Are Booked 6 Months Ahead], [[Los Angeles Times]]</ref> |
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| | Wyman was an Oscar-winning actress for her role in the 1948 movie ''Johnny Belinda''. They had three children together: Maureen Elizabeth Reagan (1941–2001), who passed away from malignant [[melanoma]] within months of diagnosis, at age 60; [[Michael Reagan|Michael Edward Reagan]] (b. 1945-),<ref>Michael Reagan is the adopted son of Wyman and Reagan. See conservapedia.com: "[[Michael Reagan]]"</ref> and Christine Reagan (June 26 & 27, 1947). She was born prematurely and survived only one day. The baby's death traumatized Wyman. In 1948, Wyman (who married a total of four times) divorced Reagan. Ironically, Wyman was a Republican at the time while Reagan was a Democrat. | | Wyman was an Oscar-winning actress for her role in the 1948 movie ''Johnny Belinda''. They had three children together: Maureen Elizabeth Reagan (1941–2001), who passed away from malignant [[melanoma]] within months of diagnosis, at age 60; [[Michael Reagan|Michael Edward Reagan]] (b. 1945-),<ref>Michael Reagan is the adopted son of Wyman and Reagan. See conservapedia.com: "[[Michael Reagan]]"</ref> and Christine Reagan (June 26 & 27, 1947). She was born prematurely and survived only one day. The baby's death traumatized Wyman. In 1948, Wyman (who married a total of four times) divorced Reagan. Ironically, Wyman was a Republican at the time while Reagan was a Democrat. |