Margaret Thatcher, the 'Iron Lady' Dies of a Stroke at 87

Margaret Thatcher, the first female Prime Minister of Great Britain, passed away at the age of 87 Monday, according to the New York Times.

According to spokesman Tim Bell, Thatcher died of a stroke. Over the past months she had also been suffering from dementia.

Thatcher served from May 1979 to November 1990 and was nicknamed the “Iron Lady.” She was responsible for guiding Great Britain to triumph in the Falklands War and aiding the United States in the cold war among many other accomplishments.

Political figures from around the globe praised the work of the former prime minister, according to the Associated Press.

“As our first woman prime minister, Margaret Thatcher succeeded against all the odds,” said current British Prime Minister David Cameron. “The real thing about Margaret Thatcher is that she didn't just lead our country. She saved our country and I believe she'll go down as the greatest British peacetime prime minister."

Cameron will return to London, cutting short a visit to Spain and forgoing a visit to France, in order to prepare funeral arraignments.

“(I will) never forget her standing shoulder to shoulder with President (Ronald) Reagan, reminding the world that we are not simply carried along by the currents of history," United States President Barack Obama said. "We can shape them with moral conviction, unyielding courage and iron will."

Not everyone spoke so highly of the controversial figure.

One of the more trying moments in her career was after an Irish Republican Army hunger strike was broken in 1981. This led to 10 inmate casualties followed by a war between Britain and Argentina for the Falkland Islands.

Gerry Adams, leader the Irish nationalist Fein Party, called Thatcher a hypocrite. His part was stronger after the former prime minister’s fight against IRA prison demands.

He said Thatcher allowed private negotiations with senior IRA officials but didn't allow public talks.

"Here in Ireland her espousal of old draconian, militaristic policies prolonged the war and caused great suffering. She embraced censorship, collusion and the killing of citizens by covert operations," Adams said.

Others said Thatcher may presented a mean demeanor in public, but was extremely reasonable. Some Irish politicians recall the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985 which allowed the Republic of Ireland to play a part in the policies of Northern Ireland for the first time. Thr deal came a year after the IRA attempted to kill her with a hotel bombing.