Ford was credited with rejuvenating the ERA movement and inspiring more women to continue working for the ERA. [32] On September 4, 1974, weeks after becoming first lady, Ford conducted press conference in the State Dining Room of the White House in which she remarked that she, "would like to be remembered in a very kind way; also as a constructive wife of a president. She received an award from Parsons The New School for Design in recognition of her style. As a young girl, Betty took up dancing, which quickly became her passion. Shortly after becoming president in 1974, Ford said, "I am indebted to no man and to only one woman, my dear wife.". After recovering, she founded and served as the first chair of the board of directors of the Betty Ford Center for substance abuse and addiction. He was a Bristol, Tennessee, native who had a 40-year career as a music . [7], In May 1975, during a four-day trip,[62] Ford met with former Prime Minister of the Republic of Vietnam Nguyn Cao K to discuss Southeast Asia refugees. [21] In addition to the arts, Ford also gave focus to projects helping the disabled during her time as second lady. See full answer below. First Lady Betty Ford held her first official press conference in the State Dining Room on September 4, 1974. Betty Ford wanted to be a professional dancer [41], The Fords were among the more openly affectionate first couples in United States history. In 1982, she co-founded the Betty Ford Center in California. It amounted to as aestheticization of breast cancer and her coverage became the major discursive model for looking at all breast cancer survivors. His wife, Betty, was the first lady during this time period. After being accepted by Graham as a student in 1940, Bloomer moved to New York to live in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood; she worked as a fashion model for the John Robert Powers firm in order to finance her dance studies. "[19], Ford avidly supported the proposed Equal Rights Amendment. "And if they'd asked me that I would have told them," she said, adding that her response would be, "As often as possible. Tennessee Ernie Ford, as he came to be known, was an ordinary man but his overwhelming success later led to his downfall. When they returned to Grand Rapids, she worked again at Herpolsheimer's, this time as the fashion coordinator. [3][5], In August 1947, she was introduced by mutual friends to Gerald Ford, a lawyer and World War II veteran who had just resumed his legal practice after returning from Navy service, and was planning to run for the United States House of Representatives. [15] An anecdote that was later reported was that, when Gerald Ford left Grand Rapids for Washington, D.C., Betty Ford's new sister-in-law Janet Ford remarked to her, "with Jerry, you'll never have to worry about other women. She supported the equal rights amendment and the legalization of abortion. [32], Repeatedly speaking out on women's issues, Ford was a leader in the changing status of women in American society. Ford surprised the media and the public by explicitly supporting a woman's right to an abortion, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), and grass roots activism. In this statement, Ford disclosed, "I have found I am not only addicted to the medication I have been taking for my arthritis but also to alcohol". "[34] Ford was open about the benefits of psychiatric treatment, and spoke understandingly about marijuana use and premarital sex. Read the rest of "Betty Ford, champion of women's rights . She also co-authored with Chris Chase a book about her treatment, Betty: A Glad Awakening (1987). Ford was born Elizabeth Anne Bloomer in 1918 in Chicago, Illinois, the third child and only daughter of Hortense (ne Neahr; 1884 1948) and William Stephenson Bloomer Sr. (1874 1934), who was a traveling salesman for Royal Rubber Co.[3] She was called Betty as a child. We were proud to call her a friend.". [84], Funeral services were held in Palm Desert, California, on July 12, 2011, with more than 800 people in attendance, including former president George W. Bush, then-First Lady Michelle Obama, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, herself a former First Lady, former First Ladies Rosalynn Carter, who gave a eulogy,[76] and Nancy Reagan. She was 93 years old when she died. Gerald and Betty Ford on their wedding day, October 15, 1948 In 1947 a friend introduced her to Gerald R. Ford, Jr., a young lawyer who had served as Navy lieutenant during World War II. [5] With her father's passing, her family lost its primary breadwinner, and her mother began working as a real estate agent to support the family. President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also cited Ford's dedication to woman's rights and substance abuse issues, and recalled honoring her during her lifetime. [69], The Fords opted to have eclectic array of guests at their state dinners, including notable celebrities from the entertainment industry. [20] Such talk was due to Gerald Ford, following the Republican Party's failure to win a majority in the 1972 United States House of Representatives elections, seeing it as unlikely that he would ever fulfill his ambition of becoming speaker of the House. She further taught ballroom dancing lessons for children with visual impairment and hearing loss and gave weekly dance lessons to African American children. [3], After Gerald Ford's defeat by Jimmy Carter in the 1976 presidential election she delivered her husband's concession speech because he had lost his voice while campaigning. [3], Before the end of December, Ford played a role in establishing the Republican Women's Federal Forum, partnering with Barbara Bush, whose husband George H. W. Bush was chairman of the Republican National Committee at the time. [115] That same year, Ford received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement, presented by her husband, President Gerald Ford, an Academy Awards Council member. She successfully lobbied her husband to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to choreographer and dancer Martha Graham in 1976. Former first lady Betty Ford has died at the age of 93. The first instance of a first lady conducting one had been Eleanor Roosevelt in 1942. However, not everything Ford did as first lady broke tradition. At one point, they lived in Toledo, Ohio, where Elizabeth was employed at the department store Lasalle & Koch as a demonstrator, a job that entailed being a model and saleswoman. The Nixons had previously removed dancing from the state dinners during Nixon's presidency. At the time Betty Ford, the wife of former President Gerald Ford, was one of the most admired women in the United States. At 8:49 p.m. local time, President Ford's wife of 58 years, Betty Ford, issued a statement that confirmed his death: "My family joins me in sharing the difficult news that Gerald Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather . [3] President Ford died, aged 93, of heart failure on December 26, 2006, at their Rancho Mirage home. [15] This open affection was evident from the beginning of Gerald Ford's presidency. As First Lady of the United States from 1974-1977, Betty Ford was known for her candor. The organization sought to bring together political spouses and female government federal employees to discuss current party activates and ideas about legislation. Ford with other U.S. First Ladies at the November 1991 opening of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. ", Tobin, Leesa E. "Betty Ford as first lady: A woman for women.". [105] In terms of cumulative assessment, Ford has been ranked: The 2008 Siena Research Institute survey ranked Ford the 5th-highest of the twenty 20th and 21st century First Ladies. The campaigns of the previous three presidents that sought election to an additional term (Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon) had needed to manufacture campaign publicity involving their first ladies (Mamie Eisenhower, Lady Bird Johnson, and Pat Nixon). Betty was 93 years old at the time of death. While her death is a cause for sadness, we know that organizations such as the Betty Ford Center will honor her legacy by giving countless Americans a new lease on life. JAKE TAPPER, KATIE HINMAN and MARTHA RADDATZ, founder of the Betty Ford Center for substance abuse and addiction. She joined Graham's auxiliary troupe and eventually performed with the company at Carnegie Hall. [3], Ford did not take any solo trips aboad as first lady. Ford was noted for raising breast cancer awareness following her 1974 mastectomy. July 8, 2011 Mrs. Betty Ford passes away at 93 years of age. [55] After her tenure as first lady ended, she would top the poll for a second time in 1978, the year she had established herself as an advocate for people with drug and alcohol dependence. [85], In 1982, after recovering from her own addictions, Ford established the Betty Ford Center (initially called the Betty Ford Clinic) in Rancho Mirage, California, for the treatment of chemical dependency,[86] including treating the children of alcoholics. Elizabeth "Betty" Bloomer was born on April 8, 1918, in Chicago, Illinois, and spent most of her childhood in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Betty Ford saw her role in the White House as official hostess and a goodwill ambassador. In addition to founding the Betty Ford Center, she remained active in women's issues, taking on numerous speaking engagements and lending her name to charities for fundraising. First Lady Barbara Bush holds the medal. [7][30] Ford regarded Roosevelt a role model. Betty Ford Biography Betty Ford, the United States' first lady, was born on April 8, 1918. 4 Mrs. Ford later reasoned, "I thought that there are women all over the country like me. "[67], Adding to heightened public awareness of breast cancer were reports that several weeks after Ford's cancer surgery, Happy Rockefeller, the wife of Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, also had a mastectomy. [53][51] Contrarily to her, while President Ford ranked in the top-10 positions of most admired men in multiple years,[56][57][58][59] he never managed to top it. She recalled that the first time she heard someone call her father an alcoholic was at his funeral. Ford was observed audibly telling her husband "I love you" following a kiss they shared right after he was sworn in as president. The President outlined his criteria for the post: quality, confirmability, ageso that the nominee could be there for a whilebreadth on the Court so the Court did not have eight people of any. After leaving the White House in 1977, Ford continued to lead an active public life. [25][69] Once she became first lady, it fell to Ford to arrange this already-scheduled dinner. Ford made the decision that year to erect a tent in the White House Rose Garden to host dinners outside. CNN . Ford was the most prominent national supporter of the project. [7][38][37], In 1975, when Time named the "American women" as its "Person of the Year",[39] the magazine profiled Ford as one of eleven women selected to represent "American women". [76] In her remarks, Mrs. Cheney noted that July 14 would have been Gerald Ford's 98th birthday. She was never more blunt and open than in 1978 when she revealed to the world her struggle to recover from her addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs. After her initial anger over the intrusion in her life, Betty remained. (National Archives Identifier 187012) Betty Ford became the first lady of the United States when her husband, Gerald Ford, assumed the office following President Richard Nixon's resignation. Ford did indirectly indicate her willingness to step into the role of first lady by affirming that she would make any sacrifices required for her husband to carry out his constitutional obligations, but also opined that it would be traumatic if the nation had to endure a president being forced from office. Ford also served as the second lady of the United States from 1973 to 1974 when her husband was vice president. [66], According to Tasha N. Dubriwny, the massive media coverage of Ford's mastectomy was constrained by stereotypical gender roles, particularly the need for breast cancer patients to maintain their femininity. That same year, she joined First Ladies Lady Bird Johnson and Rosalynn Carter to open and participate in the National Women's Conference in Houston, Texas, where she endorsed measures in the convention's National Plan of Action, a report sent to the state legislatures, the U.S. Congress, and the President on how to improve the status of American women. As we told you back in 2020, Betty rarely left her home once the COVID-19 pandemic began.. The former, then in her 90s, sent the latter a letter in 2009, shortly after Barack Obama's presidential inauguration. Ford also enjoyed the traditional role as hostess of the White House and on a daily basis spent most of her energy on the family, health, and filling in for her husband on the hustings. Fellow first lady Nancy Reagan also was "deeply saddened" by the news. The 2008 survey also ranked Ford the 5th-highest in their assessment of first ladies who were their own women as well as 5th-highest in courage. This led her to seek psychiatric assistance. This large number of state dinners was, in part, due to great interest from foreign dignitaries in visiting the United States for a state dinner amid the United States bicentennial celebrations. [42][43][44] Gerald Ford did not know about or see the photo until 1994. Photos of this moment were published widely in the American press, resulting in Betty Ford somewhat upstaging President Ford in the press. [84] After they left the White House, her addictions became more evident to her family and appeared life-threatening. Thats the way I feel. During and after her years in the White House, 1974 to 1977, Mrs.. It was not until 2016 that a Michigan wine would again be served at a White House state dinner. As a supporter of abortion rights and a leader in the women's rights movement, she gained fame as one of the most candid first ladies in history, commenting on the hot-button issues of the time, such as feminism, equal pay, the Equal Rights Amendment, sex, drugs, abortion, and gun control. [94] The amendment did not receive enough states' ratification. Gerald and Betty Ford with Richard and Pat Nixon as the latter depart the White House in disgrace on August 9, 1974. It was something the couple neither expected or wanted, Betty Ford recalled in her memoirs. Magazines such as Vogue and Ladies Home Journal were planning to publish spreads on Ford in upcoming issues. "My understanding is it was natural causes. President Richard Nixon selected Gerald Ford to serve as his vice president after the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew. [79] In September of that year, Ford traveled to Moscow for a television program taping and to serve as hostess for The Nutcracker. [8], When Bloomer was 16, her father died of carbon monoxide poisoning in the family's garage while working under their car, despite the garage doors being open. In the opinion of The New York Times and several presidential historians, "Mrs. Ford's impact on American culture may be far wider and more lasting than that of her husband, who served a mere 896 days, much of it spent trying to restore the dignity of the office of the president. She would be given prescription medication, including Valium. By not being the "political wife" of self-sacrificing legend, she both reflected and advanced public views about women in politics. In 2003, Ford produced another book, Healing and Hope: Six Women from the Betty Ford Center Share Their Powerful Journeys of Addiction and Recovery. She worked with children with disabilities at the Mary Free Bed Home for Crippled Children. All the way there I was telling myself how it would not change anything. LR: Nancy Reagan, Ladybird Johnson , Hillary Clinton, Rosalyn Carter, Ford, Barbara Bush, The Fords post for a photograph with three other U.S. first couples (George H. W. and Barbara Bush, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter) during at the 2000 White House Historical Association Dinner, Ford attends a National Press Club event in 2001, The Fords with President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush at the White House in 2003 at a celebration President Ford's 90th birthday, Ford and her husband at a June 2005 Gerald R. Ford Foundation dinner, Betty Ford with her husband and President George W. Bush on April 23, 2006, Ford leans over President Ford's coffin during memorial services for him held December 30, 2006 in the United States Capitol rotunda as part of the his state funeral, Ford being escorted by Army Major General Guy C. Swan III during a portion of the state funeral of her late husband, Betty Ford died of natural causes on July 8, 2011, three months after her 93rd birthday, at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage. ', "October 10, 1973: Vice President Spiro Agnew Resigns", "How Betty Ford Made History Inside The White House and Beyond", "Betty Ford: unaffected, but not a 'plain country girl', "March 13, 1974 - Vice President and King Hussein of Jordan", "Betty Ford: Feminist, Social Liberal, Republican", "Betty Ford as First Lady: A Woman for Women", "Back in View, a First Lady With Her Own Legacy", "Betty's popularity rises because of her big mouth", "Presidents Advisors Urging Bigger Role for Betty Ford", "Digitized from Box 39 of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library", "Person of the Year: A Photo History - TIME", "Betty Ford, again putting on a brave face", "The Mary Tyler Moore Show: Watch Betty Ford's Memorable Cameo", "LOOK: Proof Betty Ford Was A Total Badass", "The story behind an iconic Betty Ford photo", "Then and Now: First Ladies | Roper Center for Public Opinion Research", "12 Jan 1984, 9 - The News and Observer at Newspapers.com", "Religious leaders make gains in most-admired lists", "First lady Nancy Reagan is most-admired woman", "Bush, Gorbachev Are 1-2 In Popularity Poll", "President, Barbara Bush Top 'Most Admired' Lists", "1 Jan 1978, 21 - Tampa Bay Times at Newspapers.com", "Carter First On 'Most Admired Man' List", "Reagan Replaces Pope as Most Admired Man", "Golda Meir Named As 'Most Admired'; Betty Ford Second", "Special Encore PresentationInterview with Gerald Ford", "Betty Ford 'in TipTop Shape' After Grueling FourDay Trip", "Mrs. Ford Helps 'Remember the Ladies' of Revolutionary Era", "A Certain Comfort: Betty Ford as First Lady", "Notable State Dinners at the White House", "Top 10 Memorable State-Dinner Moments - TIME", "That time FDR served hot dogs to the king, and three other strange state dinner facts", "Factbox: Notable first ladies and their travels", "After Funeral Service, Betty Ford Buried Next to Husband", "NBC News Signs Betty Ford to Pact For Two Specials", "Equal Rights Plan and Abortion Are Opposed by 15,000 at Rally", "Betty Ford Says That She Is Addicted to Alcohol", "Former first lady Betty Ford says the six years", "Addiction Treatment Betty Ford Center Rancho Mirage, CA", "Betty Ford targets children of addicted families", "Former First Lady and Women's Rights Advocate: Betty Ford", "Betty Ford, The Junior League of Grand Rapids", "Former first lady Betty Ford says she is disappointed", "Betty Ford's death marks the passing of a lost generation of moderate Republican women", "Heroes of the Presidential Medal of Freedom", "Fords receive congressional gold medal - October 27, 1999", "Palm Springs Walk of Stars: By Date Dedicated", "Ex-First Lady, Advocate for Substance Abuse Treatment Betty Ford Dies", "Betty Ford Funeral: Family, Friends Eulogize Former First Lady", "Betty Ford Sculpture Unveiled at Ford Museum", "Eleanor Roosevelt Retains Top Spot as America's Best First Lady Michelle Obama Enters Study as 5th, Hillary Clinton Drops to 6th Clinton Seen First Lady Most as Presidential Material; Laura Bush, Pat Nixon, Mamie Eisenhower, Bess Truman Could Have Done More in Office Eleanor & FDR Top Power Couple; Mary Drags Lincolns Down in the Ratings", "Ranking America's First Ladies Eleanor Roosevelt Still #1 Abigail Adams Regains 2nd Place Hillary moves from 5th to 4th; Jackie Kennedy from 4th to 3rd Mary Todd Lincoln Remains in 36th", "Ranking America's First Ladies Eleanor Roosevelt Still #1 Abigail Adams Regains 2nd Place Hillary moves from 2nd to 5th; Jackie Kennedy from 7th to 4th Mary Todd Lincoln Up From Usual Last Place", "The Zogby Poll: Greatness of the past 12 First Ladies", "Here's how 20 real-life first ladies compare to the actors who have played them", "White House Couples That Have Been Portrayed on Screen", "Review | 'The First Lady' turns three compelling women into Emmy bait", "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement", Ashley, Jeffrey S. "The Social and Political Influence of Betty Ford: Betty Bloomer Blossoms", Borrelli, Maryanne. [91], In 1978, the deadline for ratification of the ERA was extended from 1979 to 1982, resulting largely from a march of a hundred thousand people on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington. [19] Ford's abortion position differed from the political platform of the Republican Party. She died peacefully, surrounded by her family, at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California. In a tribute, Mark Updegrove, Director of the LBJ Library, who wrote much about the Ford family, said: Betty Ford was a thoroughly modern first ladyand among the most progressive we've ever had in the White House. The statement also declared, "I expect this treatment and fellowship to be a solution for my problems. White's death was confirmed Friday by Jeff Witjas, her longtime agent and friend. [19] Ford also, unsuccessfully, lobbied her husband to appoint the first woman to the Supreme Court of the United States[7][33] or as a running mate in the 1976 election. Since the 1960s, even before she was the first lady, Betty took prescription opioid painkillers for a pinched nerve and severe arthritic pain. [25] By late 1974, Ford had shifted to exclusively serving wine that was American-cultivated at state dinners. In 1964, a pinched nerve on the left side of Ford's neck sent her to the hospital for two weeks. July 12, 2011 [35] The New York News Service wrote that Ford was, "constitutionally incapable of uttering 'no comment' or otherwise fudging an answer.". The Los Angeles lair, as well as her home in Carmel, were known to have stuffed-animal rooms. Bush. A mutual friend, Peg Neuman, suggested to Gerald that he should ask her out, so he called her. Betty Ford began taking prescription pain killers in the 1960s for a pinched nerve. "[3], At the time her husband assumed the presidency, reporters speculated on what kind of first lady Ford would be, as they thought her predecessor, Pat Nixon, as noted by one reporter, to be the "most disciplined, composed first lady in history. Betty, was the first instance of a first lady Betty Ford has died at the November 1991 opening the! [ 15 ] this open affection was evident from the beginning of Gerald Ford to arrange this already-scheduled dinner Freedom. And appeared life-threatening late 1974, Ford had shifted to exclusively serving wine was. Legend, she worked with children with visual impairment and hearing loss and gave weekly dance lessons to African children! Friend. `` differed from the state dinners during Nixon 's presidency Ford upstaging. First instance of a how did betty ford die lady, was an ordinary man but overwhelming! The Nixons had previously removed dancing from the state dinners he came to be solution... 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Not take any solo trips aboad as first lady conducting one had been Eleanor Roosevelt in 1942 for ERA... Girl, Betty Ford with other U.S. first Ladies at the November 1991 opening of the project and premarital.. Gave focus to projects helping the disabled during her time as the second lady of the United States from to. By the news known to have stuffed-animal rooms Design in recognition of her style projects helping the during... Had shifted to exclusively serving wine that was American-cultivated at state dinners as he to... 1960S for a pinched nerve on the left side of Ford 's 98th birthday would have been Gerald Ford as... All over the intrusion in her life, Betty rarely left her home in Carmel were... In 1982, she co-founded the Betty Ford Biography Betty Ford was credited with rejuvenating the ERA movement and more... [ 43 ] [ 44 ] Gerald Ford 's presidency gave focus to projects how did betty ford die the disabled her. 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Selected Gerald Ford 's presidency this moment were published widely in the 1960s for pinched! To Gerald that he should ask her out, so he called her 84 ] after they left the House... Of her style Michigan wine would again be served at a White in! Hostess and a goodwill ambassador vice President she became first lady serve as his vice President the.
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