Nelle Wilson Reagan

Nelle Wilson Reagan
Nelle Reagan with her son Ronald, 1950
Born	Nelle Clyde Wilson July 24, 1883 Fulton, Illinois, U.S.
Died	July 25, 1962 (aged 79) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Resting place	Calvary Cemetery, East Los Angeles, California
Nationality	American
Spouse(s)	John Edward "Jack" Reagan
Children	Neil Reagan Ronald Reagan

Nelle Clyde Wilson Reagan (July 24, 1883 – July 25, 1962) was the mother of United States President Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) and his older brother Neil "Moon" Reagan (1908–1996).

Nelle was born in Fulton, Illinois, the oldest of seven children of Mary Ann (née Elsey) and Thomas Wilson. Her father was of Scottish descent (partly by way of Canada) while her mother was English, born in Epsom, Surrey.

Nelle met Jack Reagan in a farm town along the Illinois prairie. The two were married in Fulton, Illinois in November 1904. They had two children: Neil "Moon" Reagan and Ronald Wilson Reagan. After the birth of her second son, Nelle was told not to have any more children. The Reagan family moved from Tampico to many small Illinois towns, and Chicago, depending on Jack's employment.

Ronald Reagan wrote that his mother "always expected to find the best in people and often did". She attended the Disciples of Christ church regularly and was active, and very influential, within it; she frequently led Sunday school services and gave the Bible readings to the congregation during the services. A strong believer in the power of prayer, she led prayer meetings at church and was in charge of mid-week prayers when the pastor was out of town. Her strong commitment to the church is what induced her son Ronald to become a Protestant Christian rather than a Roman Catholic like his father. He also stated that she strongly influenced his own beliefs: "I know that she planted that faith very deeply in me." For example, Ronald Reagan attended Eureka College, founded by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in 1855. While pursuing the degree he earned in economics-sociology in 1932, Ronald Reagan continued to be surrounded with the same faith his mother had introduced in his life.