Pat Nixon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patricia Nixon
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| First Lady of the United States | |
| In role January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974 |
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| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Lady Bird Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Betty Ford |
| Second Lady of the United States | |
| In role January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961 |
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| Vice President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Jane Barkley |
| Succeeded by | Lady Bird Johnson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Thelma Catherine Ryan
March 16, 1912 Ely, Nevada, U.S. |
| Died | June 22, 1993 (aged 81) Park Ridge, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Resting place | Nixon Presidential Library |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | |
| Education | Fullerton College University of Southern California (BS) |
| Signature |  |
Patricia Ryan Nixon (born Thelma Catherine Ryan; March 16, 1912 – June 22, 1993) was an important figure in American history. She was the wife of Richard Nixon, who became the 37th President of the United States. Pat Nixon served as the First Lady of the United States from 1969 to 1974. Before that, she was the Second Lady of the United States from 1953 to 1961, when her husband was Vice President.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Where Was Pat Nixon Born?
Pat Nixon was born in Ely, Nevada. Her birth name was Thelma Catherine Ryan. Her father, William M. Ryan, had Irish roots. Her mother, Katherine "Kate" Halberstadt Ryan, was born in Germany.
After Pat was born, her family moved to a small farm near Los Angeles, California. This area is now called Cerritos, California.
How Did Pat Nixon Get Her Name?
When Thelma grew up and went to college, she legally changed her name to Patricia. She had been called "Pat" since she was a baby because she was born just before Saint Patrick's Day.
What Challenges Did Pat Nixon Face as a Child?
Pat faced many challenges when she was young. Her mother died in 1925 when Pat was only 13 years old. Pat took over all the household duties for her father and two older brothers. In 1930, her father also died after a long illness. At that time, Pat was just 18.
During these years, she worked hard on the family farm. She also worked as a cleaner and bookkeeper at a local bank.
What Was Pat Nixon's Early Career Like?
Pat graduated from Excelsior High School in 1929. She attended Fullerton Junior College for a while. She worked many different jobs to support herself and her family. These jobs included being a driver, an X-ray technician, a pharmacy manager, and a typist.
She really wanted to continue her education. She studied at the University of Southern California. While studying, she worked part-time jobs on campus. She also worked as a sales clerk in a fancy department store. She even worked as an extra in movies! You can see her briefly in the 1935 film Becky Sharp. Pat's hard work paid off. She graduated with honors from the University of Southern California in 1937.
After college, Patricia worked as a high school teacher in Whittier, California. Later, during World War II, she worked for the government as an economist. Many people have said that few First Ladies worked as much before marriage as Pat Nixon did. She once said, "I do or I die, but I never cancel out," showing her strong work ethic.
Marriage and Family Life
How Did Pat Meet Richard Nixon?
In Whittier, California, Pat Ryan met a young lawyer named Richard Nixon. He had just finished law school at Duke University. They met at an acting group and even performed in a play together. They became close friends and married on June 21, 1940, in Riverside, California.
Richard Nixon's Political Journey
Richard Nixon served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After the war, in 1946, he decided to enter politics. He successfully ran for the U.S. Congress.
Pat and Richard had two daughters. Their first daughter, Tricia Nixon Cox, was born in 1946. Their second daughter, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, was born in 1948. The Nixon couple spent a lot of time with their daughters, even with their busy schedules.
Richard Nixon quickly rose in politics. He became a member of the United States House of Representatives, then a Senator. Later, he became the Vice President of the United States under President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Pat often traveled abroad with her husband when he was Vice President. On one trip to Venezuela, their car was attacked by people throwing stones and spitting.
Life as First Lady
What Did Pat Nixon Do in the White House?
The Nixon family moved into the White House in 1969. As First Lady, Pat Nixon started a tradition of inviting families to Sunday church services in the East Room of the White House. The President later stopped these services due to concerns about the separation of church and state, which means religion and government should remain separate.
Pat Nixon was very dedicated. She personally answered all her letters. Like Jacqueline Kennedy, she was interested in adding historical items to the White House. Thanks to her efforts, about 600 paintings and pieces of furniture were added to the White House Collection. Mrs. Nixon also arranged for many artists to perform at the White House, including the famous music group The Carpenters in 1972.
Pat Nixon's International Travels
Pat Nixon traveled with her husband to many countries. Some of the most important visits were to the People's Republic of China in 1972 and summit meetings in the Soviet Union. These trips were very important for American diplomacy.
She also traveled on her own to help others. She went to Peru with supplies to help victims of an earthquake. She also visited Africa and South America as a special representative for the President. It was the first time a First Lady had entered a combat zone when she visited South Vietnam in 1969.
Pat Nixon had some personal interests too. She was a big fan of soap operas, and Search for Tomorrow was her favorite.
In August 1974, her husband resigned as President of the United States. People say that while her husband was giving his resignation speech, Mrs. Nixon was already packing their belongings to move out of the White House. They left the White House on August 9, 1974, and moved to San Clemente, California.
Later Life and Legacy
What Happened After the White House?
After her husband resigned, Pat Nixon's public life ended. She did not appear in public very often. She had been a heavy smoker in private for many years, and her health became very weak. In 1976 and again in 1982, she suffered a stroke. Richard Nixon said that she read a book about the Watergate scandal and became so upset that she had a stroke the next day. She also developed mouth cancer and problems with her spinal cord. In December 1992, while in the hospital with emphysema, doctors found that she also had lung cancer.
Pat Nixon died of lung cancer at 5:45 am on June 22, 1993, at the age of 81. Her husband and daughters were with her. Her husband died about ten months later. Pat and President Nixon are buried at the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace in Yorba Linda, California. Her epitaph (the words on her tombstone) reads: "Even when people cannot speak your language, they can tell if you have love in your heart." This shows her belief in kindness and understanding.
Images for kids
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Vice President and Pat Nixon during a visit to Ghana, 1957
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Pat Nixon greets young White House visitors, 1969
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Nixon with Canadian First Lady Margaret Trudeau holding a baby Justin Trudeau, April 1972
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Pat addresses the 1972 Republican National Convention. She was the first First Lady since Eleanor Roosevelt to address a party convention, and the first Republican First Lady to do so.
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Pat Nixon with White House curator Clement Conger, whom she hired, in the Red Room after her redecorations, 1971
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Escorted by armed guards, Pat Nixon (far right) arrives via helicopter on the ground in South Vietnam, July 31, 1969. It was the first time a first lady had entered a combat zone.
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The Nixons walked on the Great Wall of China during their historic trip in February 1972
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Pat Nixon posing in the White House, 1970
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The Fords escort the Nixons as they depart the White House on Nixon's final day as president, August 9, 1974.
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Pat Nixon viewing pandas in a Chinese zoo in 1972.
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Pat Nixon was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun in 1971 by the government of Peru, becoming the first Western woman to earn the distinction.
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Pat Nixon's official White House portrait, painted in 1978 by Henriette Wyeth Hurd
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Nixon (seated second from left) attends the opening of the Ronald Reagan Library, November 1991
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Pat Nixon reaches out from her limousine to a young girl during an October 1972 campaign stop in Atlanta.
See also
In Spanish: Pat Nixon para niños
