Celebrity Graveland

January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945

The former Governor of New York and 32nd President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt is the only President to have served more than two terms and be elected FOUR times. Of, course, with term limits now in place, no President will ever again get the chance to do that. FDR was more than just the name of a highway. His optimism and overcome-all-odds spirit helped pull the U.S. out of the grips of the Great Depression. His New Deal policies shaped modern American society and transformed the political landscape of the country for decades. Of course, he was in office when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor (his famous “Day of Infamy” speech is one of the most recognized in history) and throughout the build up and eventual engagement of America’s participation in World War II.  He was dear friends with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and their relationship greatly affected the outcome of the war. Outside of the Oval Office, Roosevelt had his share of drama. He contracted polio in 1921 and lost the use of his legs. Choosing not to go the way of the invalid, he never let the handicap define him. He was married to Eleanor Roosevelt (no relation…sort of). The two had a fascinating marriage that had it all: infidelity, mommy-issues, lesbian love-cottages, etc. Despite the deteriorating intimacy, they remained married and continued a fairly strong political and social alliance. In April of 1945, just a few months into his fourth term as President – and just as WWII was about to boil over – an exhausted FDR collapsed while resting and posing for a portrait in his Warm Springs, GA retreat. He suffered a massive stroke and died a few hours later. His mistress may or may not have been at his side when he passed. His wife was assuredly not. Either way, it was truly the end of an era.

Burial

Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site – Hyde Park, NY

Specific Location

In the rose garden between the Presidential Library and the Roosevelt home, Springwood.

This entry was posted on May 7, 2014 at 3:59 pm and is filed under Franklin D. Roosevelt Historic Site with tags Franklin D. Roosevelt Historic Site, U.S. Presidents. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.