MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Sir Denis Thatcher Dies at 88 in Hospital
Sir Denis Thatcher, the husband of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, died Thursday at the age of 88, a spokesman for the family said.
Thatcher died at London's Lister Hospital, the spokesman said, speaking on condition of anonymity. He underwent coronary bypass surgery in January and had been hospitalized for several weeks.
Denis Thatcher married the former Margaret Roberts, 10 years his junior, in 1951, and they had two children.
A tall, well-dressed and wealthy man who was always one step behind his famous wife, Thatcher learned to turn the self-effacing remark into a high art. He once described himself as the most "shadowy husband of all time."
Lady Thatcher, 77, suffered a series of small strokes last year that forced her to give up most public speaking engagements.
. Before that, she turned down an invitation to visit the Falkland Islands to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1982 war between Britain and Argentina because of her husband's poor health.
Sir Bernard Ingham, Baroness Thatcher's former press secretary said: "I am extremely sad that he has died. I have very many fond memories of him as the prime minister's consort and husband.
"He was extremely loyal and supportive in that position. He was in fact a manifest role model for any prime minister's consort."
Mercopress London Correspondent writes:
It was during the 1982 Falklands War and the life and death decisions Margaret Thatcher was forced to make, that she found her husband such a source of encouragement and strength.
She always said that the decision to send the Task Force into the unknown dangers of a South Atlantic War was the most difficult she had to make, knowing that British servicemen would be laying their lives on the line.
He was always there to comfort her after the long, tiring days of conducting the minute by minute direction of the conflict with her War Cabinet.
It was with great regret that she declined the Islanders' invitation to return to the Falklands for the 20th anniversary commemoration, because, she said, her husband could not face the long journey.
But her husband did accompany her on what was a very enjoyable visit for them both on the tenth anniversary in 1992.
He was delighted when Margaret Thatcher was appointed Patron of the Falkland Islands Association this year, and last year accompanied her to the annual Lincoln's Inn reunion, meeting many people from or connected with the Islands.
He was also with her on other events commemorating the 20th anniversary.
Harold Briley, London
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