Former Turkish first lady Nazmiye Demirel dies

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Nazmiye Demirel, wife of former Turkish president Süleyman Demirel, has died at the age of 86 on May 27.

Cause of Demirel’s death was not immediately known, but her health condition has worsened in the last years, sources said. She died at the Başkent Hospital in the Turkish capital. She has been suffering from Alzheimer since 2005, the daily Hürriyet said on its website.

She was married to Süleyman Demirel on March 12, 1948 and had years of highs and lows with her husband, including an exile, or being the First Lady.

Nazmiye Demirel was brought with then Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel, the military rule decided to send them to Hamzakoy, Gelibolu after the Sept. 12, 1980 coup.

She was Turkey’s “First Lady” between May 16, 1993 to 2000, when Süleyman Demirel was elected and served as the ninth president of the Turkish republic.