Doria Palmieri was an American clinical psychologist who became widely known through her long marriage to Ron Reagan, the youngest son of President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan. Although she was connected to one of America’s best-known political families, Palmieri generally lived outside the political spotlight.
She and Ron Reagan married in 1980 and remained together for more than 33 years. Palmieri also built a professional life of her own, including work in publishing and later clinical psychology.
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Who Was Doria Palmieri?
Doria Palmieri, sometimes referred to as Doria Palmieri Reagan, was the first wife of Ron Reagan. Public interest in her increased shortly after Ronald Reagan won the 1980 presidential election.
Unlike many people connected with presidential families, Doria did not develop a major public or political career. She appeared occasionally in media coverage with her husband but largely maintained a private life.
What Was Doria Palmieri Known For?
Doria Palmieri is mainly remembered for:
- Her marriage to Ron Reagan
- Her work as a clinical psychologist
- Her earlier involvement in publishing
- Her connection to the Reagan family
- Her long-term life with Ron Reagan in Seattle
She was married to Ron for more than three decades, until her death in 2014.
Doria Palmieri’s Early Life and Background
Verified information about Doria Palmieri’s early life is limited. Contemporary newspaper coverage described both Palmieri and Ron Reagan as being from Los Angeles.
Many online biographies provide detailed claims about her exact birth date, parents, schools and childhood. However, these details are not consistently documented by major newspapers or official records, so they should be treated cautiously.
Doria was seven years older than Ron Reagan. When they married in November 1980, The Washington Post reported that she was 29 and Reagan was 22.
Doria Palmieri Information Table
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Doria Palmieri |
| Also known as | Doria Palmieri Reagan |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Wife of Ron Reagan |
| Profession | Clinical psychologist |
| Earlier work | Publishing/editorial work |
| Husband | Ron Reagan |
| Marriage | November 24, 1980 |
| Later residence | Seattle, Washington |
| Death | March 24, 2014 |
| Age at death | 62 |
| Marriage length | More than 33 years |
Doria Palmieri and Ron Reagan’s Relationship
Doria Palmieri and Ron Reagan knew each other for several years before getting married. The Washington Post reported in 1980 that they had known one another for about four years and had already been living together for more than a year.
A later Washington Post profile reported that they had originally met at a dance studio in Los Angeles.
Their relationship attracted considerably more attention when Ronald Reagan was elected president in November 1980.
When Did Doria Palmieri and Ron Reagan Marry?
Doria Palmieri married Ron Reagan on November 24, 1980, only weeks after Ronald Reagan won the presidential election.
The couple married in a civil ceremony in a judge’s chambers in Manhattan. It was an informal event rather than an elaborate political-family wedding.
Contemporary reporting noted their casual clothing. Palmieri wore black clothing with red cowboy boots, while Reagan arrived in jeans and a sweatshirt.
Ron Reagan’s parents were not present. Later reporting indicated that his relationship with his parents concerning Doria became better with time.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library records Ron Reagan’s marriage to Doria Palmieri as lasting from 1980 until her death in 2014.
Doria Palmieri’s Career and Professional Life
Doria had a professional identity separate from the Reagan family.
In the early years of her marriage, contemporary coverage described her as working in an editorial position. Writer Bob Colacello later recalled that Palmieri had worked as his assistant at Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine during the early 1980s.
She later became a clinical psychologist. This profession was confirmed publicly by Ron Reagan and was also reported by the Los Angeles Times following her death.
Detailed information about where Palmieri studied psychology, her degrees, clients or specific clinical specialty has not been widely documented by authoritative public sources. Claims giving precise educational or employment histories should therefore be treated carefully.
Was Doria Palmieri a Psychologist?
Yes. Reliable reporting identifies Doria Palmieri as a clinical psychologist.
Her professional work received much less media attention than her marriage. This is partly because she did not seek the same level of public attention associated with the Reagan family.
Doria Palmieri and Ron Reagan’s Private Life
After their early years in New York and California, Ron Reagan and Doria Palmieri eventually made their home in Seattle.
Ron told the Los Angeles Times in 2014 that he had lived in Seattle since leaving Los Angeles in 1994. The couple remained married throughout this period.
Their relationship also survived years of media attention surrounding the Reagan family. Ron repeatedly described their marriage as genuine when responding to public speculation about his personal life.
Did Doria Palmieri Have Children?
There is no widely documented public record showing that Doria Palmieri and Ron Reagan had children together.
At the time of their wedding, Palmieri told reporters that she liked children but did not plan to have them immediately. Later reliable profiles focus on the couple’s marriage without identifying any children.
Doria Palmieri’s Illness and Death
Doria Palmieri died on March 24, 2014, at the age of 62.
Ron Reagan told the Los Angeles Times that his wife died from complications related to a progressive neuromuscular disease. He said she had developed the illness around seven and a half years before her death.
The exact medical diagnosis was not publicly identified in that report. It would therefore be inaccurate to assign a specific disease to Palmieri without stronger evidence.
How Long Were Doria Palmieri and Ron Reagan Married?
Doria Palmieri and Ron Reagan were married for more than 33 years, from November 1980 until her death in March 2014.
Ron later remarried. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library records that he married Federica Basagni in 2018.
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Interesting Facts About Doria Palmieri
- Doria Palmieri was seven years older than Ron Reagan.
- She married Ron only weeks after Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980.
- Their Manhattan wedding was a simple civil ceremony rather than a large formal event.
- She once worked around the publishing world connected with Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine.
- Palmieri later worked as a clinical psychologist.
- She and Ron Reagan remained married for more than three decades.
- Despite her connection to a presidential family, Doria Palmieri maintained a relatively private professional and personal life.
