Nixon, Pat (1912-1993), was the wife of Richard M. Nixon, who served as president of the United States from 1969 to 1974. As first lady, she urged Americans to do volunteer work to solve problems in their communities.
Mrs. Nixon’s maiden name was Thelma Catherine Ryan. She was born in Ely, Nevada, on March 16, 1912. Her father was a miner. He called her “Pat” because she was born the day before St. Patrick’s Day. She came to be known by that name.
When Pat was 1 year old, her family moved to southern California, where her father became a truck farmer. As a young girl, Pat helped her father pick farm vegetables and sometimes drove a team of horses. Her mother died when Pat was 13, and her father died when she was 18. Following the death of her father, she cleaned floors and helped with the bookkeeping at a bank in order to finance her education.
Pat Ryan graduated from the University of Southern California in 1937. She then became a high school teacher in Whittier, California, the hometown of Richard Nixon. She and Nixon met in 1938, when the two tried out for a community theater play in Whittier. They married on June 21, 1940. The couple had two daughters, Patricia (Tricia), born in 1946; and Julie, born in 1948.
After becoming first lady in 1969, Pat Nixon added many antiques to the White House. These treasures included original paintings of Dolley Madison and Louisa Adams, two early first ladies. The Nixons favored formal White House social events. At such events, women wore elegant gowns and men wore white ties and formal evening clothes.
As first lady, Mrs. Nixon promoted volunteer efforts. She called for people throughout the country to do volunteer work to help solve problems their communities faced. She traveled widely in the United States to promote her cause. Her work also brought her to foreign countries. For example, following an earthquake in Peru in 1970, Mrs. Nixon called on American volunteers to organize relief programs for the victims. She went to Peru herself, bringing many needed earthquake relief supplies.
Pat Nixon and Richard Nixon moved to their home in San Clemente, California, after Richard’s presidency ended in 1974. Pat Nixon died on June 22, 1993, 10 months before her husband’s death.
See also Nixon, Richard Milhous ;
