Nancy Reagan Plans for Mother’s Funeral

PHOENIX — Nancy Reagan, clinging to her husband for support, returned Tuesday to the city her parents adopted as their home 14 years ago to mourn the death of her mother, Edith Luckett Davis.

Mrs. Reagan, still recovering from breast cancer surgery Oct. 17, arrived in Phoenix to make funeral arrangements.

The President, who broke the news to his wife Monday of her mother’s death of a stroke at age 91, flew back to Washington late Tuesday. He tentatively plans to return to Phoenix on Friday for the service, which will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Thomas the Apostle Church here.

The service will be attended by family and friends and will be “relatively small,” White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said.

Mrs. Davis had been in failing health for several years. Her husband, noted neurosurgeon Loyal Davis, who had a profound influence on his son-in-law’s political conversion in the 1950s, died in August, 1982, at the age of 86.