Pat Nixon was more than a First Lady. She was a partner in every sense of the word — to her husband, her country, and the American people. Born Thelma Catherine Ryan in Ely, Nevada, she worked her way through college during the Great Depression and married Richard Nixon in 1940. Over the next three decades, she would campaign in all 50 states, travel to over 75 countries, and leave her own mark on history with grace, grit, and deep compassion.
Pat Nixon lost both of her parents by age 18. To support herself and her two brothers, she worked as a sales clerk, office manager, and even a movie extra while studying at USC. It was there that she earned her degree in merchandising with a teaching credential — a combination she used to support the family she and Richard Nixon built together.
They met while acting with a community theater group in 1937. He offered her a ride and told her he’d drive her to the ends of the earth. Three years later, they were married.
Pat Nixon was a formidable campaigner — energetic, engaging, and tireless. During then-Senator Richard Nixon’s 1952 vice-presidential run, Mrs. Nixon traveled 56,000 miles and visited 35 states. When asked whether she enjoyed politics, she responded simply, “I do it for Dick.”
By 1968, her role had expanded. She became the first candidate’s spouse to campaign solo in all fifty states.
As First Lady from 1969 to 1974, Pat Nixon made history and opened doors.
She invited Americans of all backgrounds into the White House, expanded public tours, and introduced performances by everyday citizens alongside world-renowned artists. She brought in disabled visitors, non-English speakers, the elderly, and even offered tours in sign language and Braille.
She also added more than 600 pieces of art and furnishings to the permanent White House collection — more than any First Lady before her.
No First Lady in history had traveled more by the time Pat Nixon left the White House. She visited over 75 countries, often acting as an ambassador of goodwill.
In 1970, she made a historic solo trip to Peru following a deadly earthquake. She comforted survivors, delivered aid, and carried messages of solidarity from the United States.
She accompanied President Nixon on groundbreaking trips to China and the Soviet Union, witnessing firsthand the diplomacy that reshaped the global order. During their 1972 China trip, she met with children, visited hospitals, and made connections far beyond the official meetings.
After leaving the White House, Pat Nixon retreated from the spotlight but remained deeply engaged in her family’s life and her husband’s work. She stood by President Nixon through triumph and trial, offering unwavering strength in the face of public scrutiny.
When she passed away in 1993, tributes poured in from around the world. She was remembered not just as a First Lady, but as an American original — private, humble, patriotic, and resilient.
18001 Yorba Linda Blvd,
Yorba Linda, CA 92886
