Ronald Wilson Reagan 40th President of the United States

    Reagan Funeral Motorcade on the 118 Freeway, on it's way to the Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley, CA - June 7, 2004
    The Reagan Funeral Motorcade on the 118 Freeway,
    on the way to the Reagan Presidential Libray,
    Ventura County Firefighters and Simi Valley residents
    salute the fallen President as the motorcade passes under an overpass
    Simi Valley, CA - June 7, 2004

    A Personal Tribute to The Gipper

    Cathy, 1992 Reagan Presidential Library Docent No President in modern history was so beloved as was Ronald Wilson Reagan.  He leaves a legacy of honor, kindness, humility, humor, grace, strength and grandeur.  He was a man who loved his family and his country.  It is for these reasons I have chosen to honor him by doing these Memorial pages.

    I had the honor of meeting President Reagan and seeing him on several occasions, while I was a Docent at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA.  I will never forget the day I started as a Docent, just 2 months after the Library had opened.  I noticed there was a lot of activity with the Security staff, but I didn't realize anything special was happening, after all it was my first day.  The Head Docent came up to me and said, "Cathy, come with me, I want you to meet someone."  As she took me around a corner, there stood the President!  She walked me up to him and said, "Mr. President, I want you to meet Cathy.  She has just joined the Docent Staff and today is her first day."  The former President shook my hand as he said, "Welcome aboard, Cathy.  Glad to have you with us."

    Later that day, I was standing next to him as we were watching a short film clip where he was standing in front of the Berlin Wall and said, "Mr. Gorbechev, tear down this wall!"  He turned to me and quietly said, "I was really angry when I said that."

    Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley, California

    During my tenure as a Reagan Library Docent, I also had the honor and pleasure of meeting Mrs. Reagan, Maureen Reagan Revell and Michael Reagan.  All were kind and gracious to the staff as they told stories and memories of the eight years that Ronald Reagan was in the White House.

    Piece of the Berlin Wall at the Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley, California The Reagan Library's 3.5 ft. by 10 ft. piece of the Berlin Wall was presented to President Reagan on April 4, 1990 as a gift from the Carl N. and Margaret M. Karcher Foundation.  This piece was chosen for the butterfly that reminded President Reagan of freedom.  The decorated side of the wall was on the west side while the east side of the wall was stark, blank concrete.  It stands as a symbolic reminder of President Reagan's role in the expansion of freedom throughout Europe and Russia and of his now famous "Tear down this wall" speech delivered at the Brandenburg Gate, West Berlin, Germany on June 12, 1987.  The speech was delivered to the people of West Berlin, yet it was also audible on the East side of the wall.  The Berlin Wall fell in November 1989.

    Please join me, as we look back on the life of this American hero.

    The Life of Ronald Wilson Reagan


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    © 2004 - Cathy