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Thelma "Pat" Ryan Nixon
Date of Birth: March 16, 1912
Date of Death: June 22, 1993 [81]
Married: June 21, 1940 - Richard
Nixon
Children: 2 |
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- Born on eve of St. Patrick's Day,
her family nicknamed her Pat
- She worked as an extra in Hollywood
for a short time but moved back to Whittier, California where
she worked as a
school teacher
- While acting in a local theatre group,
Richard Nixon auditioned for a part opposite her and proposed
after the first rehearsal
- She refused his advances for two years
during which time she allowed her future husband to drive her
to and from
dates with other boys
- In seeking the Republican nomination
for vice president, her husband would be suspect in an alleged
money scandal, and it was Pat who encouraged him to appear on
national television to tell his side of the story
- The now famous Checkers Speech won
him the confidence of the voters and the nomination
- During Nixon's presidency he was involved
in the Watergate scandal that led to his resignation from office
in 1974
- Pat tried unsuccessfully to convince
her husband to stay in office and fight the allegations
- As First Lady, Mrs. Nixon encouraged
the donation of antiques to refurbish the White House
- It was her idea to Illuminate the
North Portico of the White House at night
- Beginning with her husband's first
political race in 1946, Mrs. Nixon stopped smoking cigarettes
in public Smokers
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