Mamie Eisenhower

Mary Geneva "Mamie" Doud was born in Boone, Iowa, as the second child of meatpacking executive John Sheldon Doud and Elivera Mathilda Carlson. She grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Pueblo, Colorado; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Denver, Colorado; and the Doud winter home in San Antonio, Texas. Her mother was a daughter of Swedish immigrants, and Swedish was often spoken at home. Her father ran a meatpacking company founded by his father, Doud & Montgomery, until he retired at age 36. He also had investments in Illinois and Iowa stockyards, producing a sizeable fortune. His wealth provided the family with many comforts, including servants who tended to their needs and connections with high society. Mamie had three sisters: her older sister, Eleanor Carlson Doud, and her two younger sisters, Eda Mae Doud and Mabel Frances "Mike" Doud. She came down with a severe case of rheumatic fever as a child, bringing about lifelong health concerns. Though her education was limited, her father taught her to manage budgeting and finance. Her family traveled extensively, and when she grew older, she was sent to Wolcott School for Girls for finishing school. ==Marriage and family==

Marriage Doud had many suitors, but she became interested in second lieutenant Dwight D. "Ike" Eisenhower in 1915. They were introduced while the Douds were visiting a friend at Fort Sam Houston. In 1922, Ike was stationed in Panama, and Mamie struggled in the jungle environment. They went to Denver shortly before John's birth, and Mamie stayed behind after Ike returned to Panama. She rejoined him in Panama two months later, accompanied by a nurse the family had hired to help raise John. On the advice of the wife of General Fox Conner, Mamie took interest in Ike's career and presented herself as a supportive military wife, strengthening their relationship. In Europe, the two regularly received royals, and Mamie was awarded the Cross of Merit for her role in her husband's military success. When Ike agreed to run in the 1952 presidential election, Mamie campaigned for him. She appeared to enjoy campaigning, and was popular among voters. She sometimes subverted her husband's campaign managers' wishes, making speaking appearances without their knowledge and suggesting changes to his speeches. ==First Lady of the United States==

White House hostess |alt=Dwight, Mamie, and Indonesian President Sukarno dressed in formal wear smiling at one another Eisenhower became first lady as the position first began to present a national public image. She also declined a request to write a column for the New York Herald Tribune, and held only one press conference during her tenure. She also wrote a personal response to every letter she received and sometimes passed on concerns the letters raised. During her tenure, she had several rooms redecorated in her favorite colors, pink and green. Eisenhower was especially active during the Christmas season, during which she had the White House heavily decorated for the occasion and bought gifts for the White House staff. Her attempts to decorate the White House were complicated by lack of federal funding, and many of her changes depended on private donations. She dedicated much time to the flower arrangements of the White House, favoring gladioli. Politics |left|alt=refer to captionEisenhower had little interest in the presidency's political aspects, and was never directly involved in her husband's decisions. Jacqueline Kennedy had given birth to John Jr. via caesarean section two weeks before a planned tour of the White House, but Mamie did not inform her that a wheelchair was available for her to use while showing her the various sections of the White House. Seeing Eisenhower's displeasure during the tour, Kennedy kept her composure in Eisenhower's presence, collapsing in private once she returned home. When Eisenhower was later asked why she would do such a thing, she replied, "Because she never asked." ==Later life==

In 1961, Eisenhower retired with the former president to Gettysburg, their first permanent home. They also had a retirement home in Palm Desert, California. She made appearances on occasion for the Kennedy administration, including a fundraiser for the National Cultural Center and a state dinner with the Prime Minister of Japan. As her husband was dying, legislation passed that guaranteed lifetime Secret Service protection for presidential widows. She often stayed in her bedroom after her husband's death while Secret Service agents supported her. A memorial service was held in the Fort Myer chapel on November 5 with attendants including the Nixons, Rosalynn Carter, Senator Jacob Javits, Federal Reserve Chair Arthur F. Burns, and Eisenhower's Secret Service agents. She is buried beside her husband in his hometown of Abilene, Kansas. == Legacy ==

Eisenhower's birthplace is open to the public and operated by the Mamie Doud Eisenhower Foundation. Places bearing the name Mamie Eisenhower include a park in Denver and a library in the Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado. She was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame in 1985. Impact on fashion Eisenhower was known for her sense of fashion, and many women adopted her style. Her style was associated with Dior's postwar "New Look", It is one of the most popular of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's collection of inaugural gowns. Eisenhower paired it with matching gloves, and jewelry by Trifari. She carried a beaded purse by Judith Leiber (then an employee of Nettie Rosenstein). Her shoes by Delman had her name printed on the left instep. Historical assessments Eisenhower is remembered neither as a traditionalist like Bess Truman nor as an activist like Eleanor Roosevelt. Her tenure occurred at a time when the role was undergoing major changes and growing in prominence. Her influence on the Eisenhower administration was reserved, respecting a strict division between her husband's public life and their home life. To the public she symbolized the glamor, style, and growth associated with the United States in the 1950s. Eisenhower has been ranked: In an additional question accompanying the 2014 survey, Eisenhower placed third among 20th- and 21st-century first ladies who historians felt could have done more. ==References==