Doria Palmieri was a clinical psychologist whose life also included literary research, magazine work, and a marriage that lasted more than three decades. As the wife of Ron Reagan, she became the daughter-in-law of President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan. But her working life took her into settings far removed from presidential politics, including the offices of Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine. Her biography follows several distinct chapters: publishing in New York, an informal Manhattan wedding, family gatherings at the White House, and a later home in Seattle, where she worked as a psychologist.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Doria Palmieri; also known as Doria Reagan |
| Profession | Clinical psychologist |
| Earlier work | Literary research and magazine publishing |
| Husband | Ron Reagan |
| Marriage | 1980–2014 |
| Age at death | 62 |
The Reagan Presidential Library records the marriage dates, while contemporary reporting and recollections from colleagues establish her occupations.
From Literary Research to Clinical Psychology
Working at Andy Warhol’s Interview
A January 1981 Time profile described Palmieri as a literary researcher. At that point, her husband was pursuing ballet professionally, and both were establishing careers outside the political world associated with his parents. Ron had left Yale to study dance and subsequently joined the Joffrey II troupe in New York.
Palmieri also worked for Bob Colacello at Interview. Colacello recalled her employment as his assistant in a 2016 Vanity Fair article, mentioning that her niece and nephew enjoyed hearing her stories about the magazine. His recollection places her directly within Warhol’s publishing circle during the early 1980s.
A Later Career in Psychology
Palmieri subsequently entered a different profession. A 2004 account identified her as a clinical psychologist living in Seattle with Ron. That description establishes that psychology was already part of her professional life a decade before her death.
An Informal Wedding in Manhattan
Palmieri and Ron met at a Los Angeles ballet school. Their wedding took place on November 24, 1980, when she was 29 and he was 22. United Press International covered the ceremony that day, describing a small gathering in the Manhattan chambers of New York State Supreme Court Justice Lester Evans.
The clothes were casual: Palmieri wore red cowboy boots with black slacks and a black sweater. Ron wore jeans, a red sweatshirt, and tennis shoes. A Secret Service agent and a friend of the groom witnessed the marriage, and the judge waived the usual 24-hour waiting period between obtaining a license and marrying.
Neither Ronald nor Nancy Reagan attended. Speaking to reporters afterward, Nancy said she was happy for the couple and explained that a small wedding reflected her son’s wishes. She also recalled that she and her husband had chosen a small wedding themselves.
Home Life in Greenwich Village
The couple’s New York home became a gathering place for friends. John O’Connor, who worked alongside Palmieri at Interview, remembered being invited to their West Village apartment for Thanksgiving. Writing about their friendship in 2016, he recalled Palmieri joking that the kitchen was so small she needed to cut the turkey in half to fit it into the oven.
O’Connor also remembered their shared amusement at the extravagant personalities around them in 1980s Manhattan. His account offers a colleague’s view of Palmieri as a friend and host, with a dry sense of humor that remained vivid in his memory decades later.
Family Visits to the White House
Official presidential records capture another part of Palmieri’s life. Ronald Reagan’s daily diary for May 20, 1981, lists Doria and Ron among his dinner guests. Afterward, the group watched Breaker Morant in the White House theater. The evening ended with Ron and Doria accompanying the president and first lady back to the residence.
By the second inauguration, Palmieri’s relatives were also included in the family arrangements. UPI’s January 1985 coverage named her mother and brother among the extended family traveling to Washington. Ron and Doria were scheduled to stay at the White House during the festivities, while several relatives stayed nearby.
Palmieri extended that hospitality to friends as well. O’Connor recalled that she and Ron invited him to the White House during the second inaugural celebrations. The visit included a small gathering in the Yellow Oval Room, where the president and first lady joined them after attending inaugural balls.
Seattle and Her Final Years
In Seattle, Palmieri continued working while receiving treatment for a degenerative illness. She died on March 24, 2014, after approximately seven and a half years of illness, Ron told the Los Angeles Times.
She was 62. The cause was complications of a progressive neuromuscular disease. Her marriage had lasted more than 33 years, spanning Ron’s transition from ballet into broadcasting and political commentary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Doria Palmieri married to President Ronald Reagan?
No. She married his son, Ronald Prescott Reagan, commonly known as Ron Reagan. Nancy Reagan was her mother-in-law.
Did Doria Palmieri and Ron Reagan divorce?
No. The Reagan Presidential Library records their marriage as continuing until her death in 2014. Describing her as his “ex-wife” can therefore give the wrong impression.
Was Doria Palmieri older than Ron Reagan?
Yes. Their wedding-day coverage gave her age as 29 and his as 22, a difference of seven years.
Did Ron Reagan marry again?
Yes. He married Federica Basagni in 2018, as recorded in the Reagan Presidential Library’s family biography.
Conclusion
Doria Palmieri’s life brought together publishing, clinical psychology, and the everyday relationships surrounding a presidential family. Colleagues remembered her humor and hospitality; official records preserve her place at family gatherings. Together, those details give her biography a personal dimension beyond the Reagan name.