Nancy Reagan's Hometown Celebrates Her Life

Former First Lady Nancy Reagan was once quoted as saying, "My life really began when I married my husband," though she was an accomplished actress and lived in various places around the U.S. prior to meeting President Reagan. The First Lady was born in New York City, grew up in Maryland, lived with her mother and stepfather in Chicago prior to acting, and then finally moved to Hollywood as a young starlet. As an actress, wife of an actor and a California governor, Hollywood was her home. So naturally, the hometown Hollywood responses to Nancy Reagan's passing around the greater Los Angeles area are loving and mournful. After eight years in the White House, Reagan moved back to Bel Air, California to care for her husband until his death in 2004, and resided there until her own death on Sunday.

Hollywood stars have been tweeting about the loss of their predecessor, telling stories of their experiences with the First Lady and how they revered and admired her. She was an unwavering link between Old Hollywood and the Hollywood of today. Actress Elizabeth Banks tweeted, "I sat near #Nancy Reagan once and felt like a teenager seeing one of my idols. She was a BOSS. #RIPNancy," while classic actors like Joan Collins expressed sadness of a closer friend. Collins tweeted:

My friend Nancy Reagan died aged 94 The end of an era,#Love the 80s

On a larger scale, the city of Los Angeles is grieving for the former First Lady in its own way, with residents and visitors to the area leaving flowers outside of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, which is in nearby Simi Valley, California. Her death was reported in the late morning, and within mere hours, mourners began leaving a growing number of flowers outside the main entrance gate of the museum. A veteran was even spotted holding an American flag on the road leading to the site.

Meanwhile, at Nancy Reagan's Bel Air estate, some have opted to leave flowers with Secret Service agents standing outside her home. A hearse has also arrived at her home to receive the former First Lady.

Apparently, even nature itself had a tribute for the First Lady, whose Secret Service codename was Rainbow. Shortly after her death, a rainbow appeared over the Palm Springs golf course President Reagan went to regularly.

It's always a shame to lose such an admired and adored public figure, but someone like Nancy wouldn't have had it; after all was said and done, she made it clear that she loved her life:

No, no. When you balance it all out, I've had a pretty fabulous life.

Nancy Reagan's attitude spoke to her varied and full existence. The fashionable, talented, and devoted First Lady is already sorely missed, but will remain in the hearts and memories of Americans forever.