Rex Scouten, who long served as Secret Service agent and chief White House usher, dies

WASHINGTON – Rex Scouten, who served 10 first families as a Secret Service agent, White House chief usher and chief curator, has died.

The Richard Nixon Foundation says Scouten, who lived in Fairfax, Va., died Wednesday at a local hospital. He was 88.

Scouten's career began during Harry S. Truman's administration and continued through Bill Clinton's presidency. Scouten guarded Truman for four years, then became part of the first Secret Service detail assigned to a vice president with Richard Nixon.

In 1969, Scouten became chief usher, a position he held until 1986. He briefly retired, only to return as White House curator at President Ronald Reagan's request. He left that job in 1997.

The Reagans' dog was named Rex in honor of Scouten.