RIP Margaret Thatcher, Lilly Pulitzer, Annette Funicello

By Lesley Kennedy

The world is mourning the deaths of three influential women today: former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, 87, who led England for 11 years; fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer, 81, whose Palm Beach prints brightened up our wardrobes; and original Mousketeer Annette Funicello, 70, who was the envy of girls everywhere who dreamed of joining her beach parties.

Although these women differed greatly career-wise — politics, fashion and entertainment — they all made an impact on the lives of many. Here are a few of our favorite quotes from each — along with some responses to the news of their deaths. We can all learn from Thatcher’s 1990 words: “I am not immortal, but I’ve got a lot left in me yet.” RIP.

MARGARET THATCHER

• “In politics if you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.”
• “Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by traffic from both sides.”
• “Where there is discord, may we bring harmony. Where there is error, may we bring truth. Where there is doubt, may we bring faith. And where there is despair, may we bring hope.”
• “Pennies don’t fall from heaven, they have to be earned here on earth.”
• Statement from President Barack Obama: “With the passing of Baroness Margaret Thatcher, the world has lost one of the great champions of freedom and liberty, and America has lost a true friend. As a grocer’s daughter who rose to become Britain’s first female prime minister, she stands as an example to our daughters that there is no glass ceiling that can’t be shattered.
• Statement from former Prime Minister Tony Blair: “Margaret Thatcher was a towering political figure. Very few leaders get to change not only the political landscape of their country but of the world. Margaret was such a leader. Her global impact was vast.”
• Statement from Meryl Streep (who played Thatcher in The Iron Lady): “To me she was a figure of awe for her personal strength and grit. To have come up, legitimately, through the ranks of the British political system, class bound and gender phobic as it was, in the time that she did and the way that she did, was a formidable achievement. To have given women and girls around the world reason to supplant fantasies of being princesses with a different dream: the real-life option of leading their nation; this was groundbreaking and admirable.”

LILLY PULITZER

• “It’s always summer somewhere.”
• “That’s what life is all about: Let’s have a party. Let’s have it tonight.”
• “Being happy never goes out of style.”
• “Anything is possible with sunshine and a little pink.”
• O Creative Director Adam Glassman to the AP: “Her clothes were transporting. You automatically think of Palm Beach, or sunny California in a Slim Aarons photograph.”
  
• Daughter Liza Pulitzer in the Sun-Sentinal: “We are so proud of her for accomplishments, but what she really left as her legacy is her heart. Mom never felt that she deserved all the accolades she got in the design world. She said she lucked into it. But those who knew her knew she had an amazing sense of design.”

ANNETTE FUNICELLO

• “Of all the roles I’ve played, none has been as fulfilling as being a mother.”
• “As I travel across the country speaking about MS, perhaps I can offer others comfort and hope.”
• “Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.”
• Diane Disney Miller, daughter of Walt Disney, in the Los Angeles Times: “Everyone who knew Annette loved and respected her. She was one of the loveliest people I’ve ever known, and was always so kind to everyone. She was also the consummate professional, and had such great loyalty to my father.”
• Joan Rivers (@Joan_Rivers): Annette Funicello’s death truly saddens me. She was such a bright and wonderful part of all of our history.
• Paula Abdul (@ Paula Abdul): Annette Funicello was a trailblazer-she paved the way for so many stars today. She was and will always be a cherished icon.

Photo credits: Margaret Thatcher: In Her Own Words; Lilly: Palm Beach, Tropical Glamour, and the Birth of a Fashion Legend; A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes, My Story, Amazon.com