Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd

Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd (née Lucy Page Mercer; April 26, 1891 – July 31, 1948) was an American woman who sustained a long affair with US president Franklin D. Roosevelt. Born to formerly-rich parents, Mercer became secretary to Eleanor Roosevelt in 1914 and began an extensive affair with Franklin shortly thereafter. When Eleanor discovered the affair in 1918, she offered Franklin a divorce; but Franklin instead chose to separate from Mercer to preserve his political career.

After dismissal from the Roosevelt household, Mercer married New York socialite Winthrop Rutherfurd, but maintained contact with Franklin Roosevelt. Rutherfurd died in 1944, and Franklin began seeing Mercer again, through meetings arranged by his daughter Anna. Mercer was present at Roosevelt's fatal stroke, although the family successfully concealed Roosevelt's affair from the press until 1966.