Table of Contents
Michael Reagan, Ronald Reagan’s Elder Son and a Conservative Commentator, Dies at 80
Michael Reagan, elder son of President Ronald Reagan and a conservative commentator for a long time, has passed away at the age of 80.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute posted on X on Tuesday, Jan. 6 that Michael passed away on Sunday, Jan. 4 in Los Angeles
His death was not announced.
The Foundation called him “a strong defender of his father’s legacy” in the statement and further mentioned that “Michael Reagan’s life was one of conviction, purpose, and a deep commitment to President Reagan’s values.”
The family went on to express their grief in a statement they gave to Fox News:
“Michael was and will always be a cherished husband, father, and grandpa. Our souls are profoundly broken as we mourn the passing of a man who was so dear to all who knew and loved him.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(717x472:719x474)/Michael-Reagan-010626-2-721d8efafda14ec9a19105c34fbfa798.jpg)
Michael Reagan Was Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman’s Adopted Child and Later Pursued a Career in Entertainment
Michael Reagan was among the children of the late President Ronald Reagan.
In March 1945, he was born to Irene Flaugher and John Bourgholtzer according to The Courier-Journal. Ronald Reagan and his then-wife, Oscar-winning actor Jane Wyman, adopted him shortly after birth.
Reagan and Wyman first had a daughter named Maureen (born 1941, died 2001), and a daughter, Christine (born 1947), who passed away one day after her birth. The couple separated in 1948. Reagan married Nancy Reagan in 1952; they had daughter Patti that year and son Ron in 1958.
Michael shared on KTLA in 2008 about his birth mother and adoptive parents. “The greatest gift that Irene Flaugher gave me was life. She gave me a chance at life,” he expressed. “The greatest gift that Jane Wyman and Ronald Reagan gave me, is really nurturing that life.”
Michael studied at Arizona State University and subsequently at Los Angeles Valley College. He later ventured into entertainment where he featured in TV series and movies — Among them was Falcon Crest, which he did alongside Wyman.
Michael Reagan Was the Host of a Radio Show, Authored Books, and Received Public Praise from His Father
Michael Reagan left the path of acting and he became a figure in conservative media by starting the syndicated radio show The Michael Reagan Show.
Besides that, he authored few books, among them On the Outside Looking In, Twice Adopted and Lessons My Father Taught Me.
President Ronald Reagan in his memoir An American Life, after reading his son’s work, reflected on the influence that his son’s book had on him praised the son. “I had even more fatherly pride in Mike when I read his book…. he was happy and at peace with himself,” Reagan wrote, Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute quoted the President.
Michael Reagan’s Family Life, Reagan Legacy Work, and Charitable Efforts
Michael Reagan tied the knot with Pamela Gail Putnam in 1971, getting a divorce the very next year. At some point, he married Colleen Sterns, and they had two kids, son Cameron who is 48 now, and daughter Ashley who is 43.
In addition to being a media personality, Michael devoted a sizable part of his life to safeguarding and marketing his father’s legacy. He was the president of the Reagan Legacy Foundation, the main objective of which has been to carry on the works of President Ronald Reagan and to highlight the success of his administration, as per the organization’s site.
Michael also worked as a commentator for the conservative television network Newsmax.
He was on the charity side with some organizations, such as the John Douglas French Alzheimer’s Foundation where he was the board chairman. His father, President Reagan, passed away in June 2004 because of complications related to Alzheimer’s disease.
