Patricia Nixon was the wife of Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States. She served as Second Lady of the United States from 1953 to 1961 and First Lady of the United States from 1969 to 1974.
Early Life
Thelma Catherine “Pat” Nixon was born on March 16, 1912, in Ely, Nevada. Her father gave her the nickname Pat, calling her his “St. Patrick’s babe in the morn.” The family moved to California when she was young, settling at farm outside of Los Angeles. After her mother died in 1925, Pat took over the household duties. At 18, her father died as well, leaving Pat to support herself.
Pat worked multiple jobs to pay her way through college. In 1937, she graduated cum laude from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Science degree in merchandising. She also earned a teaching certificate and accepted a job as a high school teacher in Whittier, California.
Marriage to Richard Nixon
Pat met Richard Nixon while they were performing in a production of The Dark Tower staged by a local theater group in Whittier. At the time, he was a young lawyer just graduated from Duke University. Pat married Richard Nixon on June 21, 1940 at Mission Inn, in Riverside, California. They went on to have two daughters, Patricia “Tricia” and Julie.
During WWII, the couple moved to Washington, D.C., where Richard Nixon worked as an attorney in the Office of Price Administration, and Pat Nixon worked as secretary for the Red Cross. Nixon later joined the Navy and was stationed in the South Pacific. During his time overseas, Pat worked as an economist for the Office of Price Administration.In 1946, Richard Nixon was elected to the U.S. Congress. He became a senator four years later. In 1952, Nixon was elected Vice President under Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Pat Nixon became the Second Lady of the United States. As Second Lady, Pat Nixon accompanied her husband to 53 countries around the world. While she attended mandatory formal events, Pat Nixon preferred visiting hospitals, schools, and orphanages.
First Lady of the United States
Richard Nixon was elected President in 1968. As First Lady, Pat Nixon continued to travel and serve as an envoy. She accompanied President Nixon to the People’s Republic of China and traveled solo to Africa and South America.
Pat Nixon also embraced the White House’s role as a historic museum and took steps to make it more accessible to the public. She added more than 600 paintings, antiques, and furnishings to the White House Collection and had exterior lighting installed around the White House. She regularly greeted White House tourists and invited hundreds of families to nondenominational Sunday services in the East Room.
One of Pat Nixon’s other primary causes was promoting volunteerism. She stated, “Our success as a nation depends on our willingness to give generously of ourselves for the welfare and enrichment of the lives of others.”
When the Watergate scandal broke, Pat remained loyal to her husband. “I love my husband,” she said, “I believe in him, and I am proud of his accomplishments.”
Later Life
After Richard Nixon resigned, the couple returned to their California estate known as “La Casa Pacifica.” Both battled health issues, with Pat Nixon suffering a stroke in 1976. In 1980, the Nixon’s moved to the East Coast to be closer to their children and grandchildren.
Pat Nixon died on June 22, 1993, at the age of 81. Her husband died ten months later. They are both buried at the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace in Yorba Linda, California.
