Thelma Catherine Pat Ryan Nixon Biography

Thelma Catherine “Pat” Ryan Nixon

Her father, a miner in Ely, Nevada, gave her the nickname “Pat” because she was born the evening before St. Patrick's Day. The family soon moved to a farm outside Los Angeles. Pat worked her way through college, and became a high school teacher in Whittier, California. While acting in a play staged by a local theater group, Pat fell in love with one of the other actors, a young lawyer, Richard M. Nixon. They were married in 1940. They had two daughters, Patricia and Julie. During World War II Pat worked as a government economist while her husband served in the navy. A tireless political campaigner, Pat remained loyal throughout her husband's turbulent career. As first lady, she promoted volunteer service, American culture, and added 600 paintings and antiques to the White House collection. She died on June 22, 1993, and is buried at the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace in Yorba Linda, California.