Nancy shares private grief

Melbourne Herald Sun ^ | June 9, 2004 | Michael McKenna

[MadIvan]

Devoted: Nancy Reagan is comforted by the Rev Michael Wenning at the casket of former President Ronald Reagan before the public viewing period begins in Los Angeles. Picture: AP

IT was a touching public display of affection that began the long goodbye to a love affair spanning half a century.

A frail Nancy Reagan, 82, touched the coffin of her beloved husband, former US president Ronald Reagan, 93, during a televised family service before pressing her cheek against the casket, her eyes wet with grief. As Mrs Reagan stood back from the casket, she whispered to the family parish priest: "I can't believe he is gone."

Her daughter Patti Davis, once estranged from her parents, comforted her mother and whispered: "He's here."

Emerging from seclusion after Mr Reagan's death on Sunday, the former first lady responded to the outpouring of emotion from the American public by turning the intended private family service at the Presidential Library into a ceremony beamed across the country.

It was a simple, moving ceremony that will stand in contrast to the next four days of events honouring the 40th US president and to culminate in a full state funeral in Washington on Saturday to be attended by world leaders.

Twelve friends and relatives, including Mr Reagan's other children, Ron and Michael, gathered for the 15-minute service to hear his former parish priest offer prayers for Mr Reagan and his family.

During the service, Mrs Reagan mostly stared down, expressionless, as she clutched her daughter's hand.

The Rev. Michael Wenning of the Bel Air Presbyterian church near Mr Reagan's longtime home, praised him as a "great president, a great world leader" who had "reminded us of the great nation we are".

"Grant, Lord God, that our hearts will be deeply moved and touched by the wonderful memories of this very special human being," he said.

After the service, the library was turned over to thousands of people who quietly waited, some for hours, to file past the flag-drapped coffin and pay their respects to the former Californian governor and president. He had had Alzheimer's disease for 10 years.

Among the first to pay their tributes were Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver.

"It was an emotional visit," Mr Schwarzenegger said after his farewell to Mr Reagan, with whom he has much in common.

Both are from poor rural families, both came to California and became Hollywood movie stars, and then went into politics to become governor of California.

"President Reagan is my hero," Mr Schwarzenegger said.

"I idolised him."

Mr Reagan's body will lie in state until Thursday before it is flown to Washington.

[MadIvan]

Prayers for Mrs. Reagan and the President's family.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping

[Mo1]

MadIvan ... You're Back ... YEAAAAA!!

Missed you

[general_re]

Rumors of your demise were greatly exaggerated, I see. Welcome home ;)

[Amelia]

MadIvan! Long time no see! Hope you're doing well, and thanks for the ping!

[Mo1]

[LADY J]

Welcome home! We missed you.

[Miss Marple]

Thank you for posting this.

The crowds are unbelievable. At 3AM California time the cars were backed up on the freeway for over 5 miles. Waiting time then was 8 hours! And still they come.

I am going to tape everything that is shown on tleevision when they get to DC. This will be something to show my grandchildren when they are older.

[Eurotwit]

Good to see you back.

Just in time to see England trounce France in Euro 2004 :-)


Cheers.

[BSunday]

"President Reagan is my hero," Mr Schwarzenegger said.

"I idolised him."

How could this be ? Isn't he a RINO ?? (sarcasm)

[WestCoastGal]

For Nancy


ON LOVE
~ By Thomas Kempis ~


Love is a mighty power,
a great and complete good.
Love alone lightens every burden, and makes rough places smooth.
It bears every hardship as though it were nothing, and renders
all bitterness sweet and acceptable.

Nothing is sweeter than love,
Nothing stronger,
Nothing higher,
Nothing wider,
Nothing more pleasant,
Nothing fuller or better in heaven or earth; for love is born of God.

Love flies, runs and leaps for joy.
It is free and unrestrained.
Love knows no limits, but ardently transcends all bounds.
Love feels no burden, takes no account of toil,
attempts things beyond its strength.

Love sees nothing as impossible,
for it feels able to achieve all things.
It is strange and effective,
while those who lack love faint and fail.

Love is not fickle and sentimental,
nor is it intent on vanities.
Like a living flame and a burning torch,
it surges upward and surely surmounts every obstacle.

[demlosers]

Welcome back!

[cgk]

I watched quite a lot of the live feed from the library events yesterday, and have viewed most of the pictures, archiving what I can.

Mrs. Reagan's presence touches me deeply, watching her expression as she walks through the schedule of the day. She is genuinely moved by the momentos left behind, marveling at the sheer number of people who loved her husband, our President, America's grandfather.

She is lost without him... she isn't long for our world. She needs to be with her Ronnie.

(Welcome back, Ivan!)

[susiek]

I am praying that God will continue to give Nancy strength, the amazing courage she has already shown in spades, and grace to face the changes that are happening and the attention that is being heaped on her. I know she already longs to be with her beloved Ronnie again, but I hope that she is also able to see just how loved she is and that there is still much good she can do in this world. She took a lot of heat while her husband was in office--often it seemed that more hostility was focused on her as a person than on his politics--but she is also loved and respected by many Americans.

[WVNan]

There you are MadIvan! Good to see you.

[MadIvan]

A rare public photograph of President and Mrs. Reagan from during the period of his illness, in this case, 1998:

I believe that says it all.

Regards, Ivan

[cgk]

Wow... thank you! What a beautiful picture. Such a legendary love.

I was watching Michael Reagan last night, being interviewed while sitting in a car. Sitting there crying talking about when his dad didn't remember any of them, but he remembered Michael as the one with the hugs. He always knew when Michael came, he would receive a hug and would hold his arms wide open until it happened. One time, after a visit, they set to leave and someone said to Michael, "You forgot something, look back in the door" and Michael turned and his dad was standing there with his arms held wide open, waiting for that hug. He ran back, hugged him and told him he loved him.

Michael said that even though his dad didn't recognize them from before, the fact that he recognized that small (giant) gesture spoke volumes and helped him immensely.

[susiek]

The thing that has moved me the most in these past days is the story that all the family has repeated about how President Reagan opened his eyes and looked right at Nancy just before dying. They all said that his eyes weren't as clouded over as they had been recently. As Michael said, his last vision was of Nancy and then he saw God, which is as they knew it should be.

[cgk]

(speechless)...

[WestSylvanian]

"....to hear his former parish priest."

Rev. Wenning is a Presbyterian. Presbyterians are organized in "congregations," not "parishes." And our leaders are "ministers" or "pastors" or "reverends," not "priests." This writer has his denominations mixed up.