MarÃ a Eva Duarte de PerÃ n ( May 7 , 1919 â `` July 26 , 1952 ) was the second wife of Argentine President Juan PerÃ n. She was first lady from 1946 until she died in 1952 and she served with her husband as a co-ruler of Argentina during those years . MarÃ a Eva Duarte de PerÃ n ( ; 7 May 1919 -- 26 July 1952 ) was the second wife of President Juan PerÃ n ( 1895 â `` 1974 ) and served as the First Lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952 .