Michael Reagan was the adopted son of Eureka College alum Ronald Reagan and first wife Jane Wyman. Reagan was born on March 18, 1945, and was adopted shortly after. He was one of five children and said he often felt neglected by his father’s second wife, Nancy Reagan.
Micheal Regan was married to Pamela Putnum from 1971 to 1972. He then married Colleen Reagan in 1975, and they were together for 75 years. They had two children together, Cameron and Ashley. They lived in the Toluca Lake area in Los Angeles, California.
He grew up in Los Angeles, California and attended Arizona State University Tempe and Los Angeles Valley college but never completed a degree. This was due to the fact that he was educationally unmotivated and wanted to enter the workforce early, among many other reasons.
He followed in the footsteps of his late father by going into professions such as an actor, author, radio personality, American Conservative political commentator, and businessperson. He also became a public speaker, including speaking here at Eureka College.
In November 2006, he was elected to serve on the Board of Trustees at Eureka College. He was chosen to serve on the board of his father’s alma mater, where he continued his family connection to the institution. This connection being related back to his father as well as his uncle, Neil Reagan.
In 2019, he was named an honorary alumnus of Eureka. After years of dedication towards the college, Reagan passed away surrounded by his family on January 4, 2026, after his battle with cancer.
Sean Sandrock, 2024 Eureka College alum, played a big role in the Reagan Leadership Program as a Regan Fellow. He met Micheal Reagan four times in person and countless times via phone and email. Their first meeting was between his junior and senior years of high school when he was working at the Ronald Reagan birthplace in Tampico, Illinois. Sandrock said Micheal was the type of guy to take time out of the day to talk with you. “He had only known me for ten minutes and he gave me his personal phone number and said whenever you’re in California next time, call me we’ll go golf at my golf course” Sandrock shares.
As many people may know former U.S president Ronald Reagan graduated from and stayed very involved with Eureka College. Over the years, he returned twelve times, served on the Board of Trustees, and donated annually. Reagan became the face of Eureka and has made the college more known worldwide.
What some may not know is that his son was involved at Eureka well throughout his lifetime. In 2006, Michael Reagan was elected to the Board of Trustees, following in the footsteps of his late father only two years after his passing. Sandrock shared that even with Reagan’s battle with Alzheimer’s, he never forgot Micheal. In his public speaking, he would share that his father never forgot him, and that meant a lot to him.
Being a constant presence on the Board of Trustees as well as a large benefactor, The Ronald W. Reagan Society of Eureka College invited Michael Reagan to come speak on campus numerous times as well as promoting the college and the Reagan legacy in Los Angeles and all around the country. He shared his father’s legacy and how good of impact the school has on the students. Sandrock shared that being involved with the college was another way of staying close with his father even though he had passed.
Cassandra Chapman is the Ronald Reagan Museum Curator. The museum is embedded in the Eureka College Cerf Center and holds artifacts and pictures of the late Ronald Reagan. Chapman said via email even though she did not know Micheal personally; he meant a lot to the college through his many involvements. Chapman said it is always hard to lose someone who is a great supporter, and he will greatly be missed.
Eureka College is deeply saddened to hear the news of Micheal’s passing and gives their deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew him.
