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Do not fill this in! === Funeral for President Reagan === {{Further|Death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan}} [[File:Nancy Reagan says final goodbyes to RR June 11, 2004.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Reagan says her last goodbye to President Ronald Reagan following a [[Death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan|week-long state funeral]], 2004]] Ronald Reagan died in their Bel Air home on June 5, 2004.<ref name="CNNHealth" /> During the seven-day [[Death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan|state funeral]], Nancy, accompanied by her children and military escort, led the nation in mourning.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ap.grolier.com/article?assetid=atb999b159&templatename=/article/article.html |title=Nancy Reagan |year=2006 |access-date=February 16, 2008 |publisher=Scholastic Library Publishing, Inc. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080313110642/http://ap.grolier.com/article?assetid=atb999b159&templatename=%2Farticle%2Farticle.html |archive-date=March 13, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She kept a strong composure,<ref name="Nancy funeral role" /> traveling from her home to the [[Reagan Library]] for a memorial service, then to Washington, D.C., where her husband's body [[Lying in state|lay in state]] for 34 hours prior to a national funeral service in the [[Washington National Cathedral]].<ref>{{cite press release|publisher=The Office of Ronald Reagan|date=June 6, 2004|access-date=February 29, 2008|title=Outline of Funeral Events in honor of Ronald Wilson Reagan|url=http://www.ronaldreaganmemorial.com/pressrelease_st5.asp|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080419070229/http://www.ronaldreaganmemorial.com/pressrelease_st5.asp |archive-date = April 19, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> She returned to the library in [[Simi Valley]] for a sunset memorial service and interment, where, overcome with emotion, she lost her composure and cried in public for the first time during the week.<ref name="Nancy funeral role" /><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/06/05/national/main621238.shtml | date=June 12, 2004|access-date=February 29, 2008|publisher=CBS|title=A Nation bids Reagan Farewell}}</ref> After receiving the folded flag, she kissed the casket and mouthed "I love you" before leaving.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,122528,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017054417/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C122528%2C00.html |archive-date=October 17, 2007 |title=Reagan Laid to Rest |access-date=March 24, 2007 |publisher=Fox News Channel |date=June 12, 2004 |url-status=dead }}</ref> During the week, [[CNN]] journalist [[Wolf Blitzer]] said, "She's a very, very strong woman, even though she looks frail."<ref>{{cite news |date=June 9, 2004|title=Reagan's Casket Arrives in Washington|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0406/09/se.03.html|format=Transcript|publisher=CNN|access-date=November 2, 2007}}</ref> She had directed the detailed planning of the funeral,<ref name="Nancy funeral role">{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE0DF1330F931A25755C0A9629C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1|title=The 40th President: The President's Widow; For a Frail Mrs. Reagan, A Week of Great Resolve|date=June 12, 2004|access-date=February 29, 2008|work=The New York Times|author1=Nogourney, Adam |author2=Bernard Wienrob |name-list-style=amp }}</ref> which included scheduling all the major events and asking former President [[George H. W. Bush]], as well as former British Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]], former Soviet Union Leader [[Mikhail Gorbachev]], and former Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] to speak during the National Cathedral Service.<ref name="Nancy funeral role" /> She paid very close attention to the details, something she had always done in her husband's life. [[Betsy Bloomingdale]], one of Reagan's closest friends, stated, "She looks a little frail. But she is very strong inside. She is. She has the strength. She is doing her last thing for Ronnie. And she is going to get it right."<ref name="Nancy funeral role" /> The funeral marked her first major public appearance since she delivered a speech to the [[1996 Republican National Convention]] on her husband's behalf.<ref name="Nancy funeral role" /> The funeral had a great impact on her public image. Following substantial criticism during her tenure as first lady, she was seen somewhat as a national heroine, praised by many for supporting and caring for her husband while he suffered from Alzheimer's disease.<ref name="BBC Nancy's image">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3794125.stm|title=Nancy Reagan emerges as public icon|work=BBC News|date=June 10, 2004 |access-date=November 2, 2007}}</ref> ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' opined, "after a decade in the shadows, a different, softer Nancy Reagan emerged."<ref>{{cite news|title=A warm public embrace for the new Nancy|access-date=December 13, 2008|author=Cannon, Angie|work=U.S. News & World Report|date=June 21, 2004|url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/reagan/articles/21nancy.htm}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. 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