Margaret Thatcher, the first woman to serve as prime minister of Great Britain, died Monday at age 87.
Her former adviser, Lord Timothy Bell, released a brief statement: “It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announce that their mother Baroness Thatcher died peacefully following a stroke this morning.”
According to her daughter, Thatcher had been dealing with a number of significant health issues in recent years, including dementia.
Margaret Thatcher was known as the Iron Lady during her time as prime minister from 1979 to 1990, as a member of the Conservative party. The often controversial leader boldly took on the labor unions, forcing coal miners to return to work after a year long strike.
Thatcher was a strong proponent of small government and despised communism.
During her tenure she became a “political soul mate” to President Ronald Reagan because of their like-minded views. He once referred to her as “the best man in England.” She reciprocated by referring to him as “the second most important man in my life.”
Her husband of 52 years, Denis Thatcher, died in June 2003.
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