Mamie Eisenhower | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 1954 | |
| First Lady of the United States | |
| In role January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961 | |
| President | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
| Preceded by | Bess Truman |
| Succeeded by | Jacqueline Kennedy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 14, 1896 Boone, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | November 1, 1979 (aged 82) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Resting place | Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | |
| Signature |  |
Mary Geneva "Mamie" Eisenhower (née Doud; November 14, 1896 – November 1, 1979) was the First Lady of the United States from 1953 to 1961 as the wife of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Born in Boone, Iowa, she was raised in a wealthy household in Colorado. She married Eisenhower, then a lieutenant in the United States Army, in 1916. She kept house and served as hostess for military officers as they moved between various postings in the United States, Panama, the Philippines, and France. Their relationship was complicated by his regular absences on duty and by the death of their firstborn son at the age of three. She became a prominent figure during World War II as General Eisenhower's wife.
As first lady, Eisenhower was given near total control over the expenses and scheduling of the White House. She closely managed the staff, and her frugality was apparent in White House budgeting throughout her tenure. She entertained many foreign heads of state in her role as hostess. She showed little interest in politics and was rarely involved in political discussion, though she did support soldiers' welfare and civil rights causes. She had poor balance due to Ménière's disease, giving rise to rumors of alcoholism. She was a popular first lady, and recognized as a fashion icon, known for her iconic bangs and frequent use of the color pink. The Eisenhowers were married for 52 years, until Dwight's death in 1969. She spent most of her retirement and widowhood at the family farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, before returning to Washington in her final years, where she died in 1979. Eisenhower was the last First Lady born in the 19th century.