Franklyn “Lyn” Nofziger, the rumpled and irreverent conservative who served Ronald Reagan as press secretary and political adviser, died of cancer Monday. He was 81.
Nofziger died at his home in Falls Church, Va., said Eldin Girdner, a family friend.
Former first lady Nancy Reagan said in a statement Monday: “I was deeply saddened this afternoon when I heard of Lyn Nofziger’s death. Lyn was with us from the gubernatorial campaign in 1965 through the early White House days, and Ronnie valued his advice – and good humor – as much as anyone’s. I spoke with him just days ago and even though he knew the end was near, Lyn was hopeful and still in good spirits.”
Nofziger, who joined Reagan’s ranks early in his political career headed the White House political office during the first year of the Reagan presidency and then quit to form a political consulting and lobbying firm.
Nofziger’s great-niece Carol Dahmen said Monday: “He transcended parties; he was loved on both sides of the aisle. You could love him or hate him but everybody respected him.”
Asked why he was leaving the White House, Nofziger replied, “I don’t like government, it’s just that simple.” He denied as “99 percent untrue” a report he’d quit because of his exclusion from the president’s innermost circle.
His determined irreverence extended to the Reagans.
“I’m not a social friend of the Reagans,” he told an interviewer. “That’s by their choice and by mine. They don’t drink enough.”
Bombay gin, outrageous puns and fierce loyalty to Reagan and conservative Republican principles were Nofziger hallmarks. His caustic wit made him a favorite among some reporters who covered Reagan.
In a town where men wear expensive suits, Nofziger stood out in his rumpled sports coats and slacks. His trademark was a tie with a picture of Mickey Mouse, a visual statement of what he thought about Washington.
Nofziger was the aide who announced to the world that Reagan had been shot in the 1981 assassination attempt by John Hinckley Jr. Nofziger’s statement, to reporters in the driveway of George Washington University Hospital, blew away assurances by other White House officials that Reagan had escaped unscathed.
Associated Press
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