Days later, Ford also disclosed to the public that she had come to realize that she was additionally an alcoholic. [105] In the 2014 Siena Research Institute survey survey, Ford and her husband were ranked the 19th-highest out of 39 first couples in terms of being a "power couple". Ford would ultimately develop an addiction to prescription medication (and would ultimately confront and recover from this addiction in 1978). [21] That same year, her husband brought up the possibility that he might retire from congress in 1977, which would make the 1974 United States House of Representatives election the last he would run in. Married and divorced in her 20s, in 1947 her life changed forever when she met Gerald R. Ford. [3] Gerald Ford was confirmed as vice president by the United States Congress on December 6, 1973, and Gerald Ford took the oath of office before a joint session of the United States Congress, placing his hand upon a bible which Betty Ford held. Betty Ford "became known for her openness and candor" (Northouse, 2013) and remained true to herself, she did not change who she was, or her core values because of her new position as First Lady. But the approach was almost unheard of decades ago when the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation came to be. [7], When Ford herself began the process of recovering from her own alcoholism, she disclosed to the public that both her father and her brother Bob had suffered from alcoholism as well. [3], In November 1975, it was reported by the Associated Press that Ford's husband's advisors, who had previously worried her outspoken comments would hurt him in the 1976 presidential election, were now recognizing her popularity and desiring for her to have a greater role in the campaign. She also was completely unpretentious. See full answer below. Much of this progress began in the 1970s through the voice and advocacy of Betty Ford. [21] Ford became overwhelmed by the media attention she received and became somewhat reclusive for a period early into her time as second lady. A mutual friend, Peg Neuman, suggested to Gerald that he should ask her out, so he called her. Ford also became famous as a pioneer in the battle against substance abuse. Betty White in her kitchen in Carmel, California. Betty Ford. "[88], Ford continued to be an active leader and activist of the feminist movement after the Ford administration. The Fords' unlikely rise to first family started in 1973, just as they were planning on retiring from Congress. July 8, 2011 — -- Betty Ford, wife of former President Gerald Ford and the founder of the Betty Ford Center for substance abuse and addiction, has died at age 93. [80] In November 1977, Ford appeared at the opening session of the National Women's Conference in Houston, Texas. [101], On July 14, a second service was held at Grace Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids, with eulogies given by Lynne Cheney, former Ford Museum director Richard Norton Smith, and Ford's son Steven. Emergency responders, including police, showed up at her home Friday morning as a standard procedure. Betty's two older brothers were Robert (d. 1971) and . [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. The Nixons had previously removed dancing from the state dinners during Nixon's presidency. Ford has consistently ranked among the top-nine most highly assessed first ladies in these surveys. 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. [40] By late-1975, Harris found Ford to have established herself as one of America's most popular first ladies. [3] Ford also broke from the administration in giving her support to federally-funded child daycare, which the Nixon administration opposed. Betty Bloomer Warren dances in "Fantasy," 1945. She became famous for her candor. First Lady Betty Ford held her first official press conference in the State Dining Room on September 4, 1974. Her father's tragic death. [24] With her husband, as vice president, tasked with heavily campaigning on behalf of his party for the 1974 midterm elections, Ford occasionally hit the campaign trail herself. [84], Ford published her first memoir in 1978, The Times of My Life, in which she discussed her battle with addiction. "Did they dislike her? She agreed, that day, to detox from her medicine. She was 99. [3], As she became a more active second lady, Ford adopted an objective of promoting the arts. I embrace it, not only for me, but all the many others who are here to participate." I got the stuff and got back to my place and did it. [3] It was never confirmed whether his death had been accidental or a suicide. Dance developed into a passion for her, and she decided she wanted to seek a career in it. [19] Ford said, during her husband's failed 1976 presidential campaign, "I would give my life to have Jerry have my poll numbers. After her pinched nerve, she began suffering several effects, including muscle spasms, periphrasic neuropathy, numbing the left side of her neck, and arthritis on her shoulder and arm. After her initial anger over the intrusion in her life, Betty remained. [27], In June 1974, Ford represented the Nixon administration by attending the funeral of Alberta Williams King, the assassinated mother of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Other Nixon administration official figures did not attend, continuing with other obligations. One of the major strengths of authentic leadership is that it fulfills and expressed need for trustworthy leadership in society. [24] However, by the spring of 1974, Ford was seen as embracing her position as second lady, becoming less reclusive and more active. If she could help women win full equal rights with men under the U.S. Constitution, Betty Ford wanted to give it her all. In addition, she was a passionate supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). In the first of adjustments for politics, he had asked her to delay the wedding until shortly before the primary election because, as The New York Times reported, "Jerry was running for Congress and wasn't sure how voters might feel about his marrying a divorced ex-dancer. 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. July 8, 2011 Mrs. Betty Ford passes away at 93 years of age. July 8, 2011 -- Betty Ford, wife of former President Gerald Ford and the founder of the Betty Ford Center for substance abuse and addiction, has died at age 93. She regularly drove her children around to their activities, such as her sons' Little League Baseball games and her daughter's dance classes. 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. [7], Ford supported numerous charities as first lady. The Betty Ford Center, which already has helped change the lives of thousands of people, will be her lasting legacy of care and concern. [3], During her and President Ford's later years together, they resided in Rancho Mirage and in Beaver Creek, Colorado. 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. The Washington Post reported that Ford's disclosure of alcoholism came as a surprise to a number of Ford's close friends, who had regarded her as merely a social drinker and were oblivious to her drinking problem. This set a contrast with First Lady Pat Nixon, who routinely rejected invitations to give formal speeches. Thats the way I feel. As our nation's first lady, she was a powerful advocate for women's health and women's rights. [24] Ford's attendance at the funeral was, in actuality, a break from the administration. [84], In 1987, Ford underwent quadruple coronary bypass surgery and recovered without complications. 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. You may not think that creating a humane, healing environment for people with addiction is a remarkable concept. [87] She served as chair of the board of directors. [3][19] Ford's health problems and the stress of her husband's career (which saw him frequently away from their household) compounded, particularly after her husband's career became even more demanding after he became House minority leader in January 1965. Gerald R. Ford, the nation's 38th president, died on this day in 2006. [25][69] Once she became first lady, it fell to Ford to arrange this already-scheduled dinner. Because the pills were prescribed by a physician, she did not believe that she had a . Bloomer disliked the surname. She also co-authored with Chris Chase a book about her treatment, Betty: A Glad Awakening (1987). Phyllis Schlafly accused Ford of acting improperly by intervening in state affairs. Her philanthropic support additionally placed a specific focus on charities serving children with special needs. 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. [25] The first of these came only a week into Ford's presidency, hosting King Hussein of Jordan on August 16, 1974. She was 93. After leaving. [19] In her 1987 memoir she reflected on these addictions, writing, "I liked alcohol, it made me feel warm. ", President George H.W. In an interview on CBS' "60 Minutes," she talked about marijuana, equal rights for women, abortion and the possibility of a premarital affair for her daughter, Susan. In 2005, Ford relinquished her chair of the center's board of directors to her daughter Susan. As first lady, she was active in social policy and set a precedent as a politically active presidential spouse. [3], Campaign button in support of President Ford's 1976 presidential campaign with the phrase "Keep Betty in the White House", Betty and Gerald Ford onstage at the 1976 Republican National Convention. In attendance were former president Bill Clinton, former vice president Dick Cheney and former first lady Barbara Bush. 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. Jacqueline Kennedy, Pat Nixon and Betty Ford all smoked cigarettes but were never photographed doing so. By the time Betty Ford became first lady in August 1974the month her husband, Gerald Ford, succeeded Richard Nixon the former dancer had already been taking prescription pills for years to. [3] President Ford died, aged 93, of heart failure on December 26, 2006, at their Rancho Mirage home. She served as the honorary president of the National Lupus Foundation, regarding lupus as a disease which impacted women, yet received minimal public attention. [35] The New York News Service wrote that Ford was, "constitutionally incapable of uttering 'no comment' or otherwise fudging an answer.". 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. [3], During the campaign, many Ford supporters wore campaign buttons with phrases like "Betty's Husband for President in '76" and "Keep Betty in the White House". She drew boos from demonstrators against the Equal Rights Amendment in stating, "This exhibit about neglected Americans should give us strength and courage to seek equal rights for women today."[64]. "And if they'd asked me that I would have told them," she said, adding that her response would be, "As often as possible. "Issues of Openness and Privacy: Press and Public Response to Betty Ford's Breast Cancer. During her stay at the White House, her dependency on these drugs seemingly dissipated. The march was led by prominent feminist leaders, including Ford, Bella Abzug, Elizabeth Chittick, Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem. She was also the Second Lady of the United States from 1973 to 1974, when Ford served as the 40th U.S. vice president. After leaving the White House, Betty Ford publicly acknowledged her addiction to alcohol and painkillers. [3] As a mother, Ford never spanked or hit her children, believing that there were better, more constructive ways to deal with discipline and punishment. The series lovers highly anticipate the show and are peculiar to know about Betty Ford's first husband. ", President Carter and his wife Rosalynn, who succeeded the Fords in the White House, recalled "a close personal friend and our frequent partner in bipartisan efforts to improve mental health and substance abuse care in our nation. After leaving the White House in 1977, Ford continued to lead an active public life. Elizabeth "Betty" Bloomer was born on April 8, 1918, in Chicago, Illinois, and spent most of her childhood in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The statement also declared, "I expect this treatment and fellowship to be a solution for my problems. Ford's transparency was praised by experts in drug abuse treatment, who predicted that it would make a major and positive impact. At this point in her life, she was married to her first husband, businessman William Warren. [53] The poll gauges Americans' most admired men and women without providing respondents any pre-arranged list of names. [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. [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. [4], In 1926, when she was eight years old, her mother, who valued social graces, enrolled her in the Calla Travis Dance Studio in Grand Rapids, where Ford was taught ballet, tap dancing, and modern movement. Ford reads her husband's 1976 presidential concession speech to the press. [38] In January 1976, Ford made a cameo appearance on the popular television program The Mary Tyler Moore Show. [99] On May 8, 2003, Ford received the Woodrow Wilson Award in Los Angeles for her public service, awarded by the Woodrow Wilson Center of the Smithsonian Institution. She worked a production line for a frozen food company in Fulton, New York. "[69], Dishes that Ford particularly liked serving at state dinners included wild rice,[25][74] Columbia River salmon, souffl, and flamb. [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. When did Betty Ford die? The Betty Ford Center board endorsed the merger Tuesday. [61][33] Ford utilized phone calls, letter-writing, and telegrams as means of lobbying in support of the ERA. After leaving the White House, Mrs. Ford helped reduce the social stigma surrounding addiction and inspired thousands to seek much-needed treatment. [90] She was an active member of the Junior League. The Golden Girls star, who passed away on Dec. 31 at age 99, died due to a cerebrovascular accident, according to her death certificate obtained by PEOPLE on Monday. "[19], Ford avidly supported the proposed Equal Rights Amendment. [5] At the age of 14, she began modeling clothes and teaching children popular dances, such as the foxtrot, waltz, and big apple, to earn money in the wake of the Great Depression. [25] By late 1974, Ford had shifted to exclusively serving wine that was American-cultivated at state dinners. Take a look at images from Betty Ford's years in the White House. It was just that they were accustomed to the more formal atmosphere prevailing under the Nixons. She suffered from severe arthritic pain in her neck and muscle spasms. Since the 1960s, even before she was the first lady, Betty took prescription opioid painkillers for a pinched nerve and severe arthritic pain. [3], Despite the brevity of her husband's presidency (roughly two and a half years), he hosted 33 state dinners, the fifth most state dinners of any United States president. She disclosed her alcoholism through a statement that a family spokesman read on her behalf at a press conference (at which Ford was not herself present) held outside of the hospital. [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. She was raised by her parents William and Hortense Bloomer. They took away my tension and my pain". "[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. . "[21][24] The Fords had planned to make a diplomatic trip to European nations after the midterm elections. The week she entered rehab, Ford disclosed her addiction to prescription medication. All the way there I was telling myself how it would not change anything. Poor health and increasing frailty due to operations in August 2006 and April 2007 for blood clots in her legs caused her to largely curtail her public life. Ford would become the 38th president of the United States. ", Hummer, Jill Abraham. [3][5], Bloomer's mother was opposed to her pursuing a career in dance and insisted that she return home, and, as a compromise, they agreed that Bloomer would return home for six months and, if she still wanted to return to New York City at the end of that time, her mother would not protest further. ", President George W. Bush said he and his wife Laura "admired her as a first lady and valued her as a friend. In 2004, Ford reaffirmed her pro-abortion rights stance and her support for the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, as well as her belief in and support for the ratification of the ERA. [98] That same year, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to her and her husband. [54] She placed first in 1975. The American public ranked Ford as the eighth-greatest among these first ladies. She visited states, including Illinois, where ratification was believed to have the most realistic chance of passing. His wife, Betty, was the first lady during this time period. In private, she triumphed over serious personal adversity. She was also awarded the Congressional Gold Medal as a co-recipient with President Ford in 1998. [102] After the service, Betty Ford was buried next to her husband on the museum grounds. [99] In 2003, Ford was awarded the Woodrow Wilson Award by the Woodrow Wilson Center of the Smithsonian Institution. White House photographer David Hume Kennerly took a photo of her on the table. I think its time to bring abortion out of the backwoods and put it in the hospitals, where it belongs. Disregarding criticism to her stance, Ford would remark, Maybe I shouldnt have said it, but I couldnt lie. Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation History. For years after leaving the White House, Ford continued to enjoy great influence and popularity, continuing to rank in the top-ten of Gallup's annual most admired woman poll every year through 1991. [61], Ford successfully lobbied her husband to, in 1975, sign an executive order to establish the National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year. Betty Ford may be the most famous and least known First Lady in history. [53] In 1977, the year her husband left office, she placed fourth. TMZ was the first to report the news.. A cerebrovascular accident, commonly known as a stroke, is a loss of blood flow to part of the brain, which damages brain tissue. She decided to establish the Betty Ford Center with gender specific treatment for men and women (Northouse, 2013) Northouse, P. G. (2013). [3] Ford also held active membership in groups such as the 81st Congress Club and National Federation of Republican Women. After this, Betty Ford was transparent with the news media that she had received psychiatric care. [3], Between Labor Day and election day, for the general election campaign, Ford conducted multi-stop speaking tours, during which she visited western states (including California, Colorado, Texas, and Utah) as well was northern midwest states including Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. It was something the couple neither expected or wanted, Betty Ford recalled in her memoirs. Betty: A Glad Awakening. [69] At the state dinners of the Ford presidency, the president and first lady always led off the dancing, and dancing often lasted beyond midnight. She joined Graham's auxiliary troupe and eventually performed with the company at Carnegie Hall. [34] Ford's popularity often was higher than her husband's. "[23], The media "broke" the story that Ford had a previous marriage and had been divorced, initially reporting it as a secret revelation. Read the rest of "Betty Ford, champion of women's rights . [3][75] She is the most recent first lady not to have done so. This is the autobiographical story of the addiction and recovery of former First Lady Betty Bloomer Ford, wife of US President Gerald R. Ford. [94] The amendment did not receive enough states' ratification. Betty Ford, who died yesterday at the age of ninety-three, got married the year she turned twenty-four, to a furniture salesman who did not become the President of the United States. Ford's family has traveled to California and expects to arrange a service in Palm Springs soon, Barbara Lewandrowski, a family spokeswoman, told The Associated Press. She also traveled to Iowa before its caucus, and delivered a speech on behalf of the president (who had been unable to make his planned appearance) in which she labeled herself as being his political partner. [3], Ford filmed an interview with the television news program 60 Minutes which was broadcast on August 10, 1975. [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. Betty Ford is awarded the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, by President George H. W. Bush, 1991. Betty Ford Biography Betty Ford, the United States' first lady, was born on April 8, 1918. Shortly after leaving the White House in 1977, at a time when alcoholism was considered a shameful topic which should never be discussed or even mentioned, the Ford family held . When they returned to Grand Rapids, she worked again at Herpolsheimer's, this time as the fashion coordinator. One day in 1934, when she was 16, Betty came home and her father, a traveling salesman who had recently lost his job, had. John Robert Greene. [7][30] Ford regarded Roosevelt a role model. [3] Ford remarked, "I agree with the Supreme Courts ruling. [3], Ford accompanied her husband on a trip to mainland China in 1972. [69], During their final year in the White House, the Fords hosted eleven state dinners. [3] Ford also volunteered for local charitable organizations, including serving as the program director of the Alexandria Cancer Fund Drive. Helping others overcome addiction became her chief cause. Her candor in talking about and dealing with substance abuse and treatment helped led to an improvement in how Americans talk about such matters. Leadership: Theory and Practice. As a young girl, Betty took up dancing, which quickly became her passion. Betty Ford, the outspoken and much-admired wife of President Gerald R. Ford who overcame alcoholism and an addiction to pills and helped found one of the best-known rehabilitation centers in. Rancho Mirage, California, USA; Recently Passed Away Celebrities and Famous People. LOS ANGELES, California -- Actress Betty White passed away in her sleep on Friday, her agent has confirmed to ABC News. Ford had declared that she would be accompanying her husband at campaign functions, "when he wants me to. In the 1950s Bette Ford turned heads and raised eyebrows when she became a model-actress-bullfighter. [3], Ford did not take any solo trips aboad as first lady. Best known for her leadership in the founding of the Betty Ford Clinic in California to treat addiction. [78] In June 1977, Ford was a speaker at the Arthritis Association Convention. Betty underwent a radical mastectomy at Bethesda Naval Hospital and inadvertently destigmatized breast cancer by addressing her illness publicly during a White House press conference. By not being the "political wife" of self-sacrificing legend, she both reflected and advanced public views about women in politics. Everyone recognizes the namethanks in large part to the Betty Ford Clinic she co-founded in 1982 . The must-watch series is accompanied by the likes of Jessica Biel and Melanie Lynskey. [89] Ford continued to be an outspoken supporter of equal pay for women, breast cancer awareness, and the ERA throughout her life. Intervening in state affairs had a the United States & # x27 ; first lady it! His wife, Betty Ford passes away at 93 years of age Barbara Bush was telling myself how it make... Ford wanted to give it her all Peg Neuman, suggested to Gerald that he should ask her out so! Houston, Texas as she became a model-actress-bullfighter to 1974, when Ford served as chair of the Ford! Solo trips aboad as first lady during this time period, Maybe I shouldnt have said it, but couldnt! Highly assessed first ladies in these surveys promoting the arts [ 3 ] also. My problems she both reflected and advanced public views about women in.. Founding of the Smithsonian Institution in November 1977, Ford was buried to! Arrange this already-scheduled dinner ratification was believed to have done so never whether... The Nixons to realize that she had come to realize that she would be her... The battle against substance abuse and treatment helped led to an improvement in how Americans talk about such.... Broke from the state dinners during Nixon 's presidency death had been accidental a. Aboad as first lady, she triumphed over serious personal adversity their Rancho,. 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