Former US first lady Nancy Reagan dies at 94

Washington: Former US first lady Nancy Reagan passed away at the age of 94 in her Los Angeles home on Sunday, her office said.

A statement issued by her office said the former first lady died of congestive heart failure, and she would be buried at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California next to her husband, Ronald Wilson Reagan, who died in June, 2004.

"Prior to the funeral service, there will be an opportunity for members of the public to pay their respects at the library," Xinhua quoted the statement.

The White House, in a statement in the wake of Nancy's death, praised her on Sunday for her role in advancing Alzheimer's research.

After her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1994, Nancy Reagan became an advocate for Alzheimer's research.

Born in New York City, Nancy Reagan came to fame in the 1940s and 1950s during her acting career in Hollywood.

During Reagan's presidency from 1981 to 1989, the former first lady was well-known for her clout with her husband and for bringing a lavish lifestyle to the White House in a time of recession, making her one of the most influential and controversial first ladies in the US history.

During her White House years, Reagan's most famous initiative was a major anti-drug campaign known as "Just say no".