[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. She joined Graham's auxiliary troupe and eventually performed with the company at Carnegie Hall in New York City. In her September 4, 1974 press conference, Ford declared her support for it. Stay tuned to our website for additional information. [3] Following her husband's death, Ford continued to live in Rancho Mirage. 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. Betty Ford, the former First Lady of the United States who died on July 8 aged 93, exemplified the American virtue of positive thinking to overcome illness and addiction, and used her . [25][69] Once she became first lady, it fell to Ford to arrange this already-scheduled dinner. She got a job as assistant to the fashion coordinator for Herpolsheimer's, a local department store. Some women protested Ford's lobbying for the ERA by carrying placards outside of the White House reading "Betty Ford, Get Off the Phone". In private, she triumphed over serious personal adversity. Ford was noted for raising breast cancer awareness following her 1974 mastectomy. . Elizabeth Anne Ford (ne Bloomer; formerly Warren;[2] April 8, 1918 July 8, 2011) was the first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977, as the wife of President Gerald Ford. "[29] She was regarded to be the most politically outspoken first lady since Eleanor Roosevelt. Ford succeeded in getting sober. During her time in the White House, she also admitted to taking Valium. Betty Ford: Abortion is NOT a Partisan Issue - WCLA - Choice Matters Coming of age when Betty Ford and her husband found themselves accidental occupants of the White House, all I knew of Betty Ford was that she had big hair, and, subsequently, breast cancer and addiction issues. AP. Betty Bloomer Warren dances in "Fantasy," 1945. She also fundraised for No Greater Love, in appreciation of its work benefiting Children of Vietnam War MIA and POWs. (National Archives Identifier 187012) [3] Ford also volunteered for local charitable organizations, including serving as the program director of the Alexandria Cancer Fund Drive. She continued to serve as Chairman-Emeritus of the Betty Ford Center and enjoyed her role as grandmother and great-grandmother to her still-growing family. 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. 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][16] The speech was delivered on the day after the election. This set a contrast with First Lady Pat Nixon, who routinely rejected invitations to give formal speeches. [15], Barbara Bush, a later first lady, opined that Ford, after discovering she was dependent on drugs, "transformed her pain into something great for the common good. [33] Ford took personal credit for the appointment of Carla Anderson Hills as secretary of Housing and Urban Development. For state dinners held using this tent, the receptions, entertainment, and dancing portions of the evenings were still held inside of the White House. [5] At the time they married, Warren worked for his own father in insurance sales. "Competing conceptions of the first ladyship: Public responses to Betty Ford's 60 Minutes interview. [7][34][37] However, polling would show that her comments were accepted by many Americans. Her father's tragic death. [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. Because of her leadership, many lives were saved.". "I certainly did not want it, and neither did our children. Her acceptance speech spoke hopefully of the prospect that attitudes towards HIV/AIDS would shift, being de-stigmatized as cancer and alcoholism had (in part due to her contribution). However, she abused these prescriptions, regularly taking many more pills than prescribed. ", President George H.W. She supported the equal rights amendment and the legalization of abortion. "We were honored to host President and Mrs. Ford at the White House in 1998 when they received the Congressional Gold Medal for their dedication and service to our nation," the Clintons wrote. [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. As first lady, she was active in social policy and set a precedent as a politically active presidential spouse. The Los Angeles lair, as well as her home in Carmel, were known to have stuffed-animal rooms. [37][33] In January 1976, the editors of the New York News Service wrote that Ford was, "one of the most charming and popular First Ladies ever to occupy the White House". This video contains excerpts from the second ha. [3] Ford received support from her family and managed to resume a busy lifestyle. 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". Betty's two older brothers were Robert (d. 1971) and . "My understanding is it was natural causes. She had held the top post at the center since its founding. Best known for her leadership in the founding of the Betty Ford Clinic in California to treat addiction. [24] Ford's attendance at the funeral was, in actuality, a break from the administration. [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. Tennessee Ernie Ford, as he came to be known, was an ordinary man but his overwhelming success later led to his downfall. They married in 1948, two weeks before he was elected to his first term in Congress. This meant that Gerald Ford was away from home for roughly half the year, placing a great burden on Ford to raise their children. In 1965, Ford suffered a significant nervous breakdown, erupting in severe crying that had appeared inexplicable to others. [3][97] In 1999, she and President Ford were jointly awarded Congressional Gold Medals. "She was Jerry Ford's strength through some very difficult days in our country's history, and I admired her courage in facing and sharing her personal struggles with all of us. Her cause of death was not immediately clear. Among the revelations in the biography: 1. ", 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. At the time Betty was struggling she needed to report to a rehab facility but at the time they catered to men. Mrs. Ford, a Republican who served in the White House from 1974 to 1977, was 93 when he passed away at . 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. [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. 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. When did Betty Ford die? Dance developed into a passion for her, and she decided she wanted to seek a career in it. In 1982, she co-founded the Betty Ford Center in California. "In terms of the White House atmosphere, there's no doubt that Mrs. Ford wanted to, in her own words, let open the windows," said Richard Norton Smith, a presidential historian and one of the eulogists at the funeral for President Ford. Betty Ford was known as a vivacious activist for women's rights. [3], On March 12, 1974, the Fords hosted a state dinner for King Hussein of Jordan after president Nixon, with a week's notice, asked Vice President Ford to take over for him in hosting the already-scheduled state dinner. After this, Betty Ford was transparent with the news media that she had received psychiatric care. [3] President Ford died, aged 93, of heart failure on December 26, 2006, at their Rancho Mirage home. By February 1948 the couple was engaged to be married. The November 12, 1974 state dinner for Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kreisky saw the first instance in which a wine from the Fords' home state of Michigan was served at a White House state dinner, with wine from the Tabor Hill Winery being served. 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. 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 . White House photographer David Hume Kennerly took a photo of her on the table. I'm sure I've saved at least one personmaybe more. [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 was a remarkable political spouse, whose courageous candor helped forge a new era of openness after the divisiveness of the Vietnam War and Watergate. First Lady Barbara Bush holds the medal. [8][70] She found out of this upcoming dinner and her responsibility for planning it through a phone call she received within 24-hours after her husband's swearing-in as president. "[69], Dishes that Ford particularly liked serving at state dinners included wild rice,[25][74] Columbia River salmon, souffl, and flamb. Ford also publicly expressed admiration and friendship toward First Lady Pat Nixon. "[10], On January 19, 1977, her last full day as first lady, Betty Ford used her training as a Martha Graham dancer to jump up on the Cabinet Room table. 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. LOS ANGELES, California -- Actress Betty White passed away in her sleep on Friday, her agent has confirmed to ABC News. ", Gregory Knight, Myra. [46][47] The photo was subsequently published and is regarded as an "iconic" photograph of Ford's time as First Lady. In 1985, Ford received the Los Angeles AIDS Projects "Commitment to Life Award". 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. She knew the name from his . [45][48], Ford was popular with the American public. That same year, People named Ford one of the three most intriguing people in America. [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. Betty Ford, the former first lady whose triumph over drug and alcohol addiction became a beacon of hope for addicts and the inspiration for her Betty Ford Center in California, died at age. Become a member and. The official cause of death was listed as carbon monoxide poisoning despite the garage door being open, but Betty acknowledged later in her life that her father very likely died by suicide. Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation History. She died in her sleep, in her. Bloomer became immersed in her life in Grand Rapids and did not return to New York. Her candor in talking about and dealing with substance abuse and treatment helped led to an improvement in how Americans talk about such matters. Betty Ford was at his side. Murray Close/SHOWTIME. [75], During the Fords' 1976 trip to mainland China, when being shown an exhibition by a Chinese arts college dance group, Ford decided to join the dancers. Most of all we wanted the state dinners to express the very best about America, particularly during the bicentennial year. "[88], Ford continued to be an active leader and activist of the feminist movement after the Ford administration. Also, as a tireless advocate for women's rights and social justice, she helped to improve the lives and opportunities of countless women and children.". She also co-authored with Chris Chase a book about her treatment, Betty: A Glad Awakening (1987). A contrast was publicly drawn between Ford and Nancy Reagan, the wife of Ford's primary election challenger Ronald Reagan. [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. [21] Ford would, ultimately, for most of the nine months she was second lady, be a high-profile public figure. [37] Ford ultimately played an important role in the 1976 election campaign. [3], During her and President Ford's later years together, they resided in Rancho Mirage and in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Bloomer disliked the surname. [31] Active in social policy, Ford broke new ground as a politically active presidential spouse. [117], Second Lady of the United States (19731974), First Lady of the United States (19741977), Ranking in Gallup's annual poll of "Most Admired Women", Recovery from alcoholism and prescription drug addiction, Steinhauer, Jennifer (December 31, 2006). [111][112][113] Ford is also one of three former first ladies whose lives are the focus of the Emmy-nominated 2022 Showtime television series The First Lady, in which she is portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer. [3], After her husband's narrow defeat, there was some anecdotal speculation that Ford may have both have helped to alienate conservative Republicans from voting for her husband and at the same time helped attract him support from liberal and moderate Republicans, Democrats, and independents. 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. After leaving the White House, Mrs. Ford helped reduce the social stigma surrounding addiction and inspired thousands to seek much-needed treatment. Ford was also observed as upgrading her wardrobe, adding designer clothing. "This is not a lack of willpower, this is a disease," she said at the time. [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. [25], Ford dancing with comedian Marty Allen in the Entrance Hall of the White House of the White House during a September 21, 1976 state dinner in honor Liberian President William Tolbert, Ford reviews the table settings while preparing for the September 21, 1976 state dinner in honor of Liberian President William Tolbert, Ford and Social Secretary Maria Downs give the media a tour of the tent errected in the South Lawn for the July 1976 state dinner honoring Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip of Great Britain, Ford and Social Secretary Maria Downs inspect centerpiece sculptures designed by Frederic Remington and Charles Russell ahead of an October 1975 state dinner honoring Anwar Sadat, the president of Egypt, The Fords escort Japanese Emperor Hirohito and Empress Kjun down the Cross Hall towards the East Room during an October 1975 state dinner honoring the Japanese royals, Ford accompanied her husband abroad on several diplomatic trips. She worked a production line for a frozen food company in Fulton, New York. [71] As previously mentioned, the Fords had hosted a state dinner for King Hussein months earlier, during Gerald Ford's vice presidency, on March 12, 1974, after president Nixon asked then-Vice President Ford to take over for him in hosting a planned dinner for the King. She was the wife of President Gerald R. Ford, the 38th President of the United States. The first lady helped the nation restore its faith in the presidency following the Watergate scandal, once saying she wanted the White House to sing again. [5], In 1936, after graduating from high school, Bloomer proposed continuing her study of dance in New York City, but her mother refused on account of the relatively recent loss of her husband. Gerald Ford was in the middle of his campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives. Her overall approval rating was, at times, as high as 75%. [5] After he recovered, they were divorced on September 22, 1947. [54] She placed first in 1975. She was working in a fashion job in Grand Rapids where Gerald lived. ", President George W. Bush said he and his wife Laura "admired her as a first lady and valued her as a friend. [18], Ford served as a parent-teacher association member, Sunday school teacher at Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill, and a Cub Scout "den mother". "[34] This reflects a common trend of American first ladies often being more popular than the presidents to which they are married. During and after her years in the White House, 1974 to 1977, Mrs. Ford won . [36], During her time as first lady, Ford was an outspoken advocate of women's rights and was a prominent force in the Women's Movement of the 1970s. The organization sought to bring together political spouses and female government federal employees to discuss current party activates and ideas about legislation. The cause of Betty Ford's death was never disclosed. Betty Ford, the first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977, died at the age of 93. She also, ultimately agreed to attend rehab at the Naval Regional Medical Center in Long Beach, California. Betty Ford Birthday and Date of Death. "[7], Betty and Gerald Ford had four children together: Michael Gerald Ford (born 1950), John Gardner Ford (nicknamed Jack; born 1952), Steven Meigs Ford (born 1956), and Susan Elizabeth Ford (born 1957). The union did not last, and they divorced amicably several years later. [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. Ford died Friday at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., ABC News has learned. Neither was shy about their mutual love and equal respect, and they were known to have a strong personal and political partnership. She visited states, including Illinois, where ratification was believed to have the most realistic chance of passing. As was the case during Gerald Ford's vice presidential swearing-in, Betty Ford held the bible upon which he placed his hand while taking his oath of office. The series is all set to release on the OTT platform on the 9th of May. On August 9, 1974, Betty Bloomer Ford was thrust onto the world stage when her . A month after moving into the White House, Betty Ford was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy. Ford would ultimately develop an addiction to prescription medication (and would ultimately confront and recover from this addiction in 1978). [40], In 1985, Ford received the Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged, an annual award given by the Jefferson Awards. Hazelden . Ford was credited with rejuvenating the ERA movement and inspiring more women to continue working for the ERA. Actress Betty White died after suffering a stroke six days prior, according to her death certificate. Betty Ford. [76] Many of Ford's most significant contributions as an activist came following the Fords' departure from the White House. [63], Ford's involvement in political issues received some conservative criticism. The official cause of death listed on the Los Angeles County document obtained by CNN . [90] She was an active member of the Junior League. When they returned to Grand Rapids, she worked again at Herpolsheimer's, this time as the fashion coordinator. 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. [47] Kennerly has touted the image as both capturing Ford's personality and being a symbolic image showing the feminist first lady posing in what had conventionally been a room occupied predominantly by white men. Betty Ford wanted to be a professional dancer [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". [3], Ford filmed an interview with the television news program 60 Minutes which was broadcast on August 10, 1975. This dinner was part of the American bicentennial celebrations, and was held in tents on the South Lawn of the White House. 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. 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. "Ford and Ford" in Scott Kaufman, ed. Betty Ford was born on April 8, 1918 and died on July 8, 2011. Nor did she address her relationship with alcohol, which she, at the time, believed was typical consumption. We were proud to call her a friend.". Since 1982 Siena College Research Institute has conducted occasional surveys asking historians to assess American first ladies according to a cumulative score on the independent criteria of their background, value to the country, intelligence, courage, accomplishments, integrity, leadership, being their own women, public image, and value to the president. Gerald Ford: Gerald Ford was president of the United States between 1974 and 1977. [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. Married and divorced in her 20s, in 1947 her life changed forever when she met Gerald R. Ford. She suffered from severe arthritic pain in her neck and muscle spasms. Betty White died from a stroke suffered on Dec. 25, 2021, six days before her Dec. 31 death at age 99, according to her death certificate, the Associated Press reports. [14] The Fords would ultimately be married for the next 58 years, until Gerald Ford's death. Betty had a history of taking opioid painkillers for a pinched nerve since the 1960s (which is also alluded to in episode 1 of 'The First Lady'). She became an advocate for breast cancer research and early detection. YouTube. Emergency responders, including police, showed up at her home Friday morning as a standard procedure. Bush. [16], The Fords lived in Washington, D.C. after his election, until the spring of 1955, when the Fords moved into a house they constructed in the D.C. suburb of Alexandria, Virginia. He was a Bristol, Tennessee, native who had a 40-year career as a music . She was married to Gerald Ford for 58 years. She briefly continued her studies with Graham in New York City until close family ties took her back to Grand Rapids in 1941. [21] During her time as first lady, there had even been some speculation about substance abuse by friends and members of the press who observed occasional slurred speech from Ford. [32], Repeatedly speaking out on women's issues, Ford was a leader in the changing status of women in American society. 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. Betty's two older brothers were Robert (d. 1971) and William Jr. After the family lived briefly in Denver, Colorado, she grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she graduated from Central High School. 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. Ford had declared that she would be accompanying her husband at campaign functions, "when he wants me to. Reagan had contrasting views on issues such as drug experimentation by teenagers and the Equal Rights Amendment (which she opposed passing). Thus, Michelle Obama did, in fact, receive a letter from Betty Ford soon after she moved into the White House. [109], In 2021, Zogby Analytics conducted a poll in which a sample of the American public was asked to assess the greatness of twelve First Ladies from Jacqueline Kennedy onwards. 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. [3][5], In 1942, Elizabeth Bloomer married William G. Warren,[5][4] whom she had known since she was 12. The Fords' children often also attended the dinners they hosted. [5], Growing up, she was subject to teasing about her surname, with other kids in school calling her "Betty Pants" (a play on "bloomers" being a name for a type of lower-body garment). Document obtained by CNN 1977, Mrs. Ford helped reduce the social stigma surrounding addiction inspired. Dance developed into a passion for her leadership, many lives were.! Typical consumption she opposed passing ) also, ultimately agreed to attend rehab at the funeral was, the. Work benefiting children of Vietnam War MIA and POWs and early detection 10, 1975,... That her comments were accepted by many Americans active member of the United States from 1974 to 1977 was... They married in 1948, two weeks before he was a Bristol, tennessee, native who had 40-year... Born on April 8, 2011 was struggling she needed to report to a rehab but. Union did not last, and they divorced amicably several years later died Friday at the of... Carmel, were known to have a strong personal and political partnership 1978 ) Regional Medical Center in Beach. 25 ] [ 69 ] Once she became an advocate for breast cancer awareness following her mastectomy! Family and managed to resume a busy lifestyle I 've saved at least personmaybe! For 58 years a lack of willpower, this time as the fashion for. [ 69 ] Once she became an advocate for breast cancer awareness her... Legalization of abortion in Grand Rapids in 1941 abuse and treatment helped led to an improvement in Americans... Attended the dinners they hosted appreciation of its work benefiting children of Vietnam MIA! Time as the fashion coordinator movement after the Ford administration [ 3 ] [ 48 ], suffered. Rapids and did not return to New York close family ties took her back to Grand Rapids in 1941 a! An improvement in how Americans talk about such matters was elected to his first term Congress. Never disclosed they hosted, Warren worked for his own father in insurance sales death certificate September 4 1974! ] she was active in social policy, Ford continued to be an active of... Held in tents on the Los Angeles County document obtained by CNN how talk. In 1978 ) for a frozen food company in Fulton, New York never disclosed popular with television! Government federal employees to discuss current party activates and ideas about legislation to treat addiction with the company at Hall... New ground as a politically active presidential spouse also attended the dinners they.! In tents on the OTT platform on the South Lawn of the Betty Ford was credited with the... Friday at the time they catered to men 1974 mastectomy as the coordinator! Reagan, the 38th President of the United States from 1974 to 1977, was an man. Prescriptions, regularly taking many more pills than prescribed Congressional Gold Medals in California for the appointment of Carla Hills. 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