Ronnie & Nancy

He was married for nearly a decade; they shared a common interest and career in filmmaking.  Their union produced a daughter by birth and a son by adoption, and the couple also lost a daughter.  She filed for the divorce – neither of them ever publicly commented on its causes or its reasons.  Instead, they remained amicable and cared capably for their two children.  Both continued to work in their chosen professions.  both continued to move in the same circle of friends, acquaintances, and co-workers.

Three years after the divorce he found the courage to marry again.

He had met Nancy on a blind date arranged by a mutual friend.  After two years of steady dating, he proposed to her at Chasen’s restaurant.  She accepted, opening the first chapter of a lifelong romance that even the pair’s critics came to greatly admire.  Thus was born one of the most committed and loving unions of our time.

And for the record, this enduring romance bloomed within a second marriage.

For Ron, this second marriage would become his last one, spanning more than five decades, ending only at his death.  He would love and cherish his wife.  Along the way, the remarried couple would have children of their own, a son and a daughter, while enjoying a remarkable career in public life.

For Nancy, this marriage would in some ways reflect the experience of her mother.  She had married a man, Dr Loyal Davis, who had previously been divorced.  Nancy had witnessed in person, a second marriage that became a strong and lasting union.

The Reagans’ devotion to each other would become legendary, a fact noted by biographers, family members, close friends, and staff members.  Ron would talk of becoming lonely “when she left the room.”  When traveling on business, he’d send love notes, flowers, gifts and warm personal letters.

They began with a simple wedding, small and private.  The only witnesses were a close friend, actor William Holden, and his wife, Ardis.  Their marriage, however, would become a major part of their public persona and image, actively examined and written about by the press.  It would be witnessed by television viewers, by the residents of California, and later by the citizens of the United States and the world.  Their marriage would grow and thrive.

Ronnie and Nancy.  Together.  It’s impossible to picture one without the other.  Riding on horseback through the trails of their mountain ranch.  Arm in arm at a state dinner or some other government event.  He’d be speaking, perhaps, and the camera would pan back to reveal Nancy, listening, her eyes rapt with attention, her face shining with obvious (and very real) admiration for her husband.

He would spend eight years hosting a weekly television program.  He’d serve two terms as governor of the most populous state of the United States.  Eventually, he would also serve two terms as president of the U.S., surviving an assassination attempt early in his service to the nation.

Then, as always, Nancy would be at his side.

They would share a devotion to each other that never wavered, never waned, and never expired.  Time would only deepen the bond between them, only reinforce the commitment that held them so closely together.

Life was difficult at times.  He battled and survived colon cancer.  She fought and triumphed over breast cancer.  Whatever they faced, whatever life dealt them, they met it together with bravery and with firm resolve.

Failing to gain a nomination in his first run for the presidency, Ron, with Nancy, returned four years later to win one of the largest electoral victories of modern times.  Simply put, they wouldn’t quit, wouldn’t give up, wouldn’t abandon the dream.  It was that way in their marriage also; they were committed forever.

For 52 years, a nation and the world watched as this long-term remarried couple defined commitment and romance, showering each other with respect, affection, and open admiration.  Both political supporters and opponents acknowledged that the romance was real, the commitment genuine, the love true.

In the end, Nancy would care for her husband tirelessly, rarely leaving his side, tending their love faithfully despite the challenge of his Alzheimer’s disease.  Ron would slip away quietly, leaving his legacy in films and public service.  His legacy would include, also, a shining example of commitment and love within a second marriage.

[An Excerpt from “Happily Remarried” by David & Lisa Frisbie]