Posted on 06/12/2004 12:09:41 PM PDT by Libertarian Jim
Does anyone know who the elderly woman was at Reagan's service in California? The one that had to be helped up to the casket and appeared to be blind? I've heard speculation it was Jane Wyman or Delores Hope, but I doubt those. Anyone?
Leni
My guess is Bess Reagan, Neil's widow
Was it Bess? I thought Doria was Neils widow. Oh well. We both agree it was Neils widow. That's sufficient for me.
Poor lady, she just goes to a funeral and total strangers are speculating on who she might be.
While we were watching the funeral, my 16 year old daughter commented that she thought it was too intrusive the way the camera kept scanning the Reagan family and doing tight shots of their faces. She didn't see how Mrs. Reagan could bear up under that constant scrutiny.
As I told her, that's one of the prices you pay for getting into politics and rising to the top. You pretty much give up your privacy.
Some can't take it and fall out of public life but I think the successfull ones thrive on it.
I'm not very photogenic, and I'm definitely too plain spoken.
I believe Nancy could have called a stop to the intrusive media coverage at any time. She could have forbade any pictures of her etc. I think she needed the media to help her keep her composure.
I believe it was her choice to be covered as she was all week and I thank her for that. And we pions who watched it all..frankly we helped her....
Now she has hours upon hours of video to watch from this week.
I think it was totally her choice.
That's what my dad did for 40 plus years. Every candidate needs a good campaign manager, and he was a good one. I don't think he ever had a candidate lose - of course, he only worked for good solid men that he could support 100 percent - dad loathes dishonesty and crookedness in all their guises. Some of the folks he worked for are STILL in office.
That's a great photo that I hadn't seen before, but it's in my album now. Thanks for posting it.
"I think the lady you're referring to was Doris Hope. Looked like her to me"
If you're speaking of Bob Hope's widow her name is Delores and don't think that was her unless she's lost quite a bit of height over the past 2 years. She also has/had striking white hair. Still an extremely handsome woman at least as of a couple of years ago.
"Reagan had to learn about the divorce in the newspaper, which hurt him."
When he was asked in an interview if that hurt him he said what really hurt was not that someone didn't love him, but that he had lost someone to love.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/bell/20040612-9999-7m12bell.html
Someone on the thread about his laying in state at the library before they brought him to DC mentioned that Jane Wyman was there at that time. Maybe she chose not to come to the interrment service so that there wouldn't be media chatter about her when it should have been about Reagan. It's also possible that she wasn't invited.
Ding Ding Ding! I think we have a winner!
Yes. It was definitely not Jane Wyman and as a living relative, it would have to have been Bess. She was given access to the coffin and only relatives were seen going up onto the memorial area itself. Everyone else paid their respects from below and just in front of the base.
that's not accurate - the line continued for over an hour and near everybody in attendance at the funeral proceeded past the casket after Nancy's departure. It was so late & long, in fact, I wondered if they breached the sunset provision. Later in line it even appeared as those who'd played in the band came by, two by two, and, near the end, I also saw Chris Wallace (FNC) stop, move along and then wait for his dad (Mike Wallace / CBS 60 Minutes) who'd stop to follow.
I please stand corrected - I see your point - yes, she had considerable time at the coffin, given her ailing state (appeared to be blind) - I noticed she was given a hand upon her departure somebody reached out to hold her hand and her facial response was that she was unaware of those circumstances.
An angel of God, to see Ronnie home.
I saw a fairly recent picture of Jane Wyman this week; this wasn't her.
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