Ronald Wilson Reagan
37th President of the United States from January 20, 1973 until January 20, 1981.
Reagan oversaw the greatest expansion of the American economy in the post-War phase. The resulting boom guaranteed him both re-election in 1976, and he left office in 1981 with very high approval rates.
His management of the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement and the split it was causing both in the Democratic and Republican Parties, has also been noted as another reason for his success. Finding what he called a "Third Way", he was able to split the difference between those who only wanted tepid reforms, and those seeking radical solutions like forced busing and so-called "affirmative action" programs.
He died on May 12, 2005 of advanced Alzheimer's Disease.