To Nancy, With Love

On Friday night on my radio program we did a tribute to our dear President Reagan on the eve of his 99th birthday.  I invited my listeners to send me their sentiments to Mrs. Reagan on the occasion, and here’s what I’ve received. These are being sent to the First Lady via our mutual friend Burt Boyar, author of several Sammy Davis Jr. biographies, and close friend of Mrs. Reagan.

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To Nancy Reagan,
Our family wishes to join many others in letting you know that we are thinking of you and President Reagan on his 99th birthday.  In today’s turmoil of political corruption, we especially remember the firm and fair leadership President Reagan displayed as President of our Country….. with your loyal backing with him at all times.

Our love and best wishes go to you and your family members.

Cordially,
Joe and Doris Chez
Northern California

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Dear Mrs. Reagan:  I would like to extend to you my thanks for the service your husband, one of our GREATEST Presidents, provided to America and all of us.  He was truly that beacon on the mountain.  We all miss him and we all wish we had him with us here today.
~~Marie from NY

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God Bless you Dear First Lady on your late Great Husbands Birthday.
— Anita Bertolini of PA

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Dear First Lady Nancy Reagan,

Our thoughts and prayers are with you on the eve of President Reagan’s birthday. We miss him, and we think of you always!

Warmly,
Nancy, Larry, Laura and Kenny Jacques

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Please include me in your expression of best wishes and gratitude to Nancy Reagan. I have great admiration for that lady and for her extraordinary husband.

I often wonder how we could have fallen so far so fast after RR tried so hard to get us back on track with the Constitution.

David F LaRocque

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Please send Mrs. Reagan the regards of Paul Klenk and the entire New York Young Republican Club.

Sincerely,

Paul Klenk
Astoria, N.Y.

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Dear Mrs. Reagan,   This year, more than ever, so many of us are thinking of President Reagan and how he led us through good times and bad. When you have seen and heard and felt the presence of a leader, then you know how it feels in the absence of one. This is one of those times.   The words that your husband wrote and spoke still give so many of us strength and make us smile. Yes, Conservatives do have a sense of humor. We love our country, we love language, culture, history, politics and family.   Next week in New York I will be attending a birthday dinner on Wednesday in honor of President Reagan. We will toast to him, but I will toast to you too. You shared him with us and for this I thank you.   My very best,   Jill Davis Jersey City, NJ

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Mrs. Reagan:   February 6 is a bittersweet remembrance of my favorite U.S. President.  As a conservative journalist covering politics in the 1980s, my favorite memory of President Reagan was traveling with him (on the accompanying press plane) to Kansas City for the debate when he told Walter Mondale he would not hold his oppponent’s “youth and inexperience against him.”  As far as I’m concerned, that classic comment was when the re-election was won.   Sincerely,

Stuart Gorin

Viera, Florida

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Dearest Mrs Reagan – Our loved ones are kept alive in our memories and we think of how much we appreciate the things they sacrificed for us.  Ronald remains in our hearts and we feel blessed that he was an important part of our lives while he was here.  It is with gratitude that I send Ronald’s Birthday Greeting to you.  Love and Prayers to both of you,

Mabel in St Cloud, FL

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bLESS YOU MRS. REAGAN AND GOD BLESS MR.REAGAN…HE WAS SUCH A GREAT MAN, AS AN ACTOR AND AS OUR PRESIDENT AND KNOW THAT HE IS WITH YOU AND ALL OF US THAT ADMIRED HIM SO VERY MUCH. PLEASE TAKE CARE AND I WILL ALWAYS THINK OF BOTH OF YOU.

FONDLY, PENNY GILMORE, UNOCT@AOL.COM

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The President of all ages. President Reagan would be the first to defend America and say “Let’s get up and fix this.”

That’s what I remember . The guy was on, in spirit and country first logic, a founding father of the industrialized nation which lead to the greatest advancement of modern times . We should be continuing to find these types so the good fight will continue not descend into times which have no real hope .
~ Tony Newbill

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Happy Birthday to the most incredible president this nation has ever seen!   Everyday I say, “we need another Ronald Reagan” with compassion and a great sense of what it will take to turn our country around.

Mrs. Reagan – I know that you must miss Ronnie terribly.  I too miss him and his kind heart and soul.

Brenda Barnes
Kennedy Space Center worker of 32 years
Titusville, Florida

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Dear Nancy

We have  formed a political organization called the Ronald Reagan Clubs, Inc. here in Brevard County, Florida in honor of President Reagan and for what he believed in.

We meet on a monthly basis and remember him at each meeting.  So many people believe him to be the best President ever.

We remember him today on his birthday and wish you well.

Warm regards,

Dale and Beth Young
Ronald Reagan Clubs, Inc.
Brevard County, Florida

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Mrs. Reagan,
I served under President Reagan in the U.S Army and I am convinced he has set the standard for Commander in Chief in my life time.Thank you for his and your service to our country as you acknowledge his birthday. 2nd Thessalonians 3:5
Nathan Huckaby, Orlando, FL

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Dear Mrs. Reagan,

My husband and I,  along with many in our nation pay homage to your beloved husband, our beloved President on what would have been his 99th birthday.

As each year goes by, President Reagan is more appreciated for his leadership, his wit and inspiration he gave to all of us.

We feel very fortunate to have been citizens of the United States under President Reagan’s administration. He restored our sense of confidence and gave us hope under his positive energy and direction.

We thank him and we continue to think of him, we thank you and we continue to think of you,

With the warmest regards,
Jan and Clark Moody
Cocoa, FL

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Dear Mrs. Reagan;

I’m sure you are innundated annually with greetings on this, your husbands birthday.  I remember it each year, as it precedes my own birthday by two days.  I have not been among those who in past years have expressed to you the respect and adulation we all feel for Ron, and for his historic contributions to our nation.  However, my past recalcitrance has been motivated by respect for your privacy, and I hope you will now excuse this intrusion.  Before I am gone from this realm, I wish to at least once express to you my appreciation for the man and the statesman who has been my idol throughout my entire adult life

With due respect, my credentials as a Reagan fanatic extend only back to his post-hollywood life.  It was with incredulity that I realized the same man who acted in ‘Bedtime for Bongo’ had become the most competent and artful Governor that California has ever known.  My enthusiasm was recognized by my peers when, as a young man only recently active in politics, I was elected an alternate Reagan delegate to the 1976 national convention.  I also campaigned vigorously for Ron in his next two, more successful, presidential campaigns.

My confidence in Ron was rewarded by a resurgence of liberty and capitalism worldwide, the collapse of the evil empire, and the fall of the Berlin Wall… all direct results of his unswerving faith in the underpinning principles of our founding fathers.  Once again we could be proud citizens of that “shining city” he so eloquently represented;  that “shine” was restored solely by the leadership he provided us.    Unfortunately, I fear that we may never again see his equal.

Thank you for sharing Ron with me, and with the rest of the world.

Courtney Roberts
Merritt Island, FL

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The following was written and posted by Dave Logan of Northern California at his website.

Saturday, February 06, 2010

GREATNESS IS BORN–RONALD WILSON REAGAN, FEB 6, 1911

Ronald Wilson Reagan was born on this day, February 6, 1911, at 111 South Main Street, Tampico, Illinois. His birth took place in a second floor flat above the Pitney General Store. Morton Grove’s John Ruberry traveled there one day and blogged about the experience. Also, Andrea Shea King has a wonderful video tribute to our 40th president, along with a note to Mrs. Reagan.

Reagan is 99 today. I say “is” because in my mind Reagan is alive and well, always will be too. In my writings and conversations, I often refer to him. There’s much to be said about a man of his ability, his sheer strength of will, determination and passion for this the greatest of nations. Not for one moment did Reagan ever let us forget the greatness of our nation, especially during the worst of times. He reminded us on more than one occasion that no matter the challenge before us, we as a nation could and would overcome. And we did.

Although he wasn’t one of our nation’s founding fathers, he was, without argument, one of our nation’s re-founders. Upon entering the White House, he was of an age (69) when most are retired, or considering retirement. Not Reagan. He met our problems–and there were plenty of them–head-on, rolled up his sleeves and began working toward solutions on that long list of what ailed our floundering nation.

Before Reagan became president, Jimmy Carter was our nation’s progressive leader. I was in my early twenties, fresh out of the army, in college, and followed Reagan day-by-day. And with each day I got more and more excited with the possibility of him taking back the House at 1600. To be honest, during the late ’70’s I was nearly embarrassed to be an American. I should never say such a thing but it was true. If you didn’t live through the Carter years, you can’t possibly understand my feelings.

But our greatest dream came true in November 1980. And at 12 noon, January 20, 1981, the celebration began–it was as if WWII had ended all over again. By 12:30, the oath of office was complete. Reagan, at this point, had done nothing as president, but our spirits were lifted to heights not known for quite some time. Life was good. Very good.

Reagan had a remarkable two-term presidency, and many of the benefits crafted by his administration weren’t realized until after he had left office. However, we all knew why and how those accomplishments came about. As with any presidency, his too had its problems. But he was upfront and honest about them, and the American public knew and understood this. After all, Reagan, like all of us, was human.

HIS TEAMMATE AND LOVE OF HIS LIFE:

Ronald Wilson Reagan would never have become one of our greatest presidents without his teammate, the love of his life, Nancy Reagan. Whether it was in Sacramento or Washington DC, he didn’t have a more ardent, supportive or protective person in his corner. Ronald Reagan was an outside-the-beltway kind of man. A politician, yes, but without Nancy at his side, he probably would’ve been just another actor and conservative speaker of the era. Not governor, not president.

Surrounding him, Ronald Reagan had some of the smartest, hardest working advisers. All tasked with crafting policies, speeches and events for him to attend. But not a one of them had half the sense Mrs Reagan had when it came to what was best for her man. Without a doubt, Nancy Reagan knew what was best for her husband–and she had no problem making it known. And don’t think for a moment that those advisers weren’t from time-to-time looking over their shoulders with an eye toward the First Lady as they put together some sort of policy or event for the president.

Mrs Reagan had more than one run-in with her husband’s advisers, some are legendary. She usually came out on top too. Why? Because she knew what was best and she was determined to protect the man who lead our nation, the man she loved more than anything in life. The same man we loved and admired.

Our First Lady, Nancy Reagan, brought much to our White House. Just her name alone brings to mind words like class, style, beauty and loyalty. She brought all this to our House, and then some. She not only made our White House a thing of beauty, something to behold, to be proud of, to treasure, but she made our president look as grand as our president should look.

Just as President Reagan made us feel good about our nation, Nancy Reagan gave us a sense of comfort in knowing Ronald Reagan was well looked after. In his declining years, when he was no longer able to venture into the public’s eye, Nancy Reagan made sure our re-founding president–one of history’s greatest–was in the best of hands, being cared for every minute of the day, seeing that all his needs and comforts were met. As sad as I was about his illness, I took some comfort in knowing she was there for him. In a way, we were all there for him.

So, Mr. President, I salute you on your 99th birthday. I will always pray for you. I will always recall your words. And because of your words I will always have a keen sense of our nation’s greatness and the possibilities it provides to us and the world.

And to Nancy Reagan, our Finest First Lady, I pray for you as well. I can’t begin to thank you for all you’ve done, not just for our nation but for Ronald Wilson Reagan. I hope your days are filled with nothing but the goodness that life provides for us. God Bless You.

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