In 2005, Ford relinquished her chair of the center's board of directors to her daughter Susan. At the time Betty Ford, the wife of former President Gerald Ford, was one of the most admired women in the United States. [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". "[29] She was regarded to be the most politically outspoken first lady since Eleanor Roosevelt. [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. [19][61] In a 1975 interview with the news program 60 Minutes, Ford called Roe v. Wade a "great, great decision". "She has been an inspiration to so many through her efforts to educate women about breast cancer and her wonderful work at the Betty Ford Center," Reagan said. [34] Ford's popularity often was higher than her husband's. This led her to seek psychiatric assistance. I did not know at the time what was going on. [84] When she attended the 1992 Republican National Convention, Ford wore an AIDS ribbon pin. [114], In 1975, when Time named "American women" as its "Time Person of the Year",[39] the magazine profiled Ford as one of eleven women selected to represent "American women". She would be given prescription medication, including Valium. [3] Ford remarked, "I agree with the Supreme Courts ruling. Jacqueline Kennedy, Pat Nixon and Betty Ford all smoked cigarettes but were never photographed doing so. She joined Graham's auxiliary troupe and eventually performed with the company at Carnegie Hall in New York City. 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. 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". 9 min read. [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). LOS ANGELES, California -- Actress Betty White passed away in her sleep on Friday, her agent has confirmed to ABC News. As it turns out, Betty Ford did send a letter to Michelle Obama. [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. I embrace it, not only for me, but all the many others who are here to participate." This experience has been credited with further cementing Ford's understanding of gender-based income inequalities between individuals doing the same work. She had held the top post at the center since its founding. This response proved effective in killing the speculation that she was covering-up her past, and earned her some admiration in the media. Ford, who during her husband's 1974-77 administration had set a new standard for White House candor by speaking openly about her breast cancer and mastectomy, brought addiction out of the closet. "[34] Ford was open about the benefits of psychiatric treatment, and spoke understandingly about marijuana use and premarital sex. [35] The New York News Service wrote that Ford was, "constitutionally incapable of uttering 'no comment' or otherwise fudging an answer.". I'm sure I've saved at least one personmaybe more. [42][43][44] Gerald Ford did not know about or see the photo until 1994. [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. [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. Betty Ford, the first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977, died at the age of 93. 'Not at all,' he replied. In another instance, she commented, "it's just impossible for me to lie and look someone in the eyes and talk to them. [35] In a 1975 interview with McCall's, Ford remarked that she was asked just about everything, except for how often she and the president had sex. As first lady, she was active in social policy and set a precedent as a politically active presidential spouse. [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. AP. After leaving the White House, Mrs. Ford helped reduce the social stigma surrounding addiction and inspired thousands to seek much-needed treatment. [61][33] Ford utilized phone calls, letter-writing, and telegrams as means of lobbying in support of the ERA. 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. [3], Ford's busy life took a toll. Emergency responders, including police, showed up at her home Friday morning as a standard procedure. [16][100] Ford left $500,000 to the Betty Ford Center. [110], Ford's life is the focus of the 1987 ABC biographical television film The Betty Ford Story, which has a story adapted from her memoir The Times of My Life. 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. [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. ", Tobin, Leesa E. "Betty Ford as first lady: A woman for women.". They married in 1948, two weeks before he was elected to his first term in Congress. She was married to Gerald Ford for 58 years. [3] It was never confirmed whether his death had been accidental or a suicide. [19] Ford's abortion position differed from the political platform of the Republican Party. We were proud to know her. The Los Angeles lair, as well as her home in Carmel, were known to have stuffed-animal rooms. [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. White's death was confirmed Friday by Jeff Witjas, her longtime agent and friend. She continued to strongly advocate and lobby politicians and state legislatures for passage of the ERA. [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. [106] In both the 1993 and 2003 Siena Research Institute surveys, Ford was similarly ranked the 5th-highest in historians' assessment of first ladies' courage. She became famous for her candor. 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. [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. As Betty Ford recounted at the time, the wedding was delayed until shortly before the election because, "Jerry was running for Congress and wasn't sure how voters might feel about his marrying a divorced ex-dancer.". [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. [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. Mrs. 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'). Ford took these stances despite recognizing that they created a political risk of conservative backlash against her husband. [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. Betty Ford was 93 years old when she died; therefore, she can be said to have died from old age. Born in Lake View Hospital, Betty Ford spent the first weeks of her life with her parents and brother in an apartment in the East Rogers Park suburb of Chicago, but the family shortly after relocated to Denver, Colorado. [89] Ford continued to be an outspoken supporter of equal pay for women, breast cancer awareness, and the ERA throughout her life. [3], As she had previously been with her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, Ford was transparent with the public about her addictions and admittance to rehab. ", Tasha N. Dubriwny, "Constructing breast cancer in the news: Betty Ford and the evolution of the breast cancer patient.". Ford's transparency was praised by experts in drug abuse treatment, who predicted that it would make a major and positive impact. Because of her grief, there will be more joy. As First Lady of the United States from 1974-1977, Betty Ford was known for her candor. Betty Ford, whose husband, Gerald, died in December 2006, had undergone surgery for an undisclosed ailment in April 2007. Betty's two older brothers were Robert (d. 1971) and . President Obama noted how Betty Ford "distinguished herself through her courage and compassion. [18], Ford served as a parent-teacher association member, Sunday school teacher at Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill, and a Cub Scout "den mother". See full answer below. But the main point was, it was best for the country.". 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 died Friday at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., ABC News has learned. ", McClellan, Michelle L. "Fame through Shame: Women Alcoholics, Celebrity, and Disclosure. However, not everything Ford did as first lady broke tradition. Her candor in talking about and dealing with substance abuse and treatment helped led to an improvement in how Americans talk about such matters. Though I told myself I would just use once. She was also involved in her husband's political career by fulfilling the commitments expected of congressional spouses to help elevate her husband's regard among his House colleagues. Days later, Ford also disclosed to the public that she had come to realize that she was additionally an alcoholic. However, Ford simply responded by giving the explanation that it was not something she had tried to hide, but, rather, something she had only not shared with the news media because none of them had broached the topic in their previous questions to her. [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. She involved herself in the Los Angeles AIDS Project. Live July 9, 2011 -- Former first lady Betty Ford, whose candor about her own battles with substance abuse helped erase much of the stigma attached to addiction, has died. She was working in a fashion job in Grand Rapids where Gerald lived. The week she entered rehab, Ford disclosed her addiction to prescription medication. After leaving the White House in 1977, Ford continued to lead an active public life. "Ford. [40], In 1985, Ford received the Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged, an annual award given by the Jefferson Awards. Betty Ford was portrayed as an ideal patient within a success narrative that presented the key sequences of her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment in a progressive, linear fashion that inspired optimism. "[19], Ford avidly supported the proposed Equal Rights Amendment. Ford's recent predecessor Lady Bird Johnson was among other first ladies that did not conduct solo trips abroad. In his remarks at his inauguration, Gerald Ford remarked, "I am indebted to no man and only one woman, my dear wife, Betty, as I begin this very difficult job. Watch the video to find out if Betty White died in her sleep.#BettyWhite #RIP #CelebNewsRead Full Article: https://www.nickiswift.com/722297/did-betty-white-. [21] Ford would, ultimately, for most of the nine months she was second lady, be a high-profile public figure. The Fords' unlikely rise to first family started in 1973, just as they were planning on retiring from Congress. 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. [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. [40] By late-1975, Harris found Ford to have established herself as one of America's most popular first ladies. Betty Bloomer Warren dances in "Fantasy," 1945. [15] This open affection was evident from the beginning of Gerald Ford's presidency. Betty Ford Birthday and Date of Death. Throughout her post-Washington life, she established herself as one of the nation's first public advocates for women's self-examination, a prodigious fund-raiser for arthritis research, and, most important, a tireless campaigner for the rights and dignity of those afflicted with the disease of substance abuse. Ford also served as the second lady of the United States from 1973 to 1974 when her husband was vice president. LOS ANGELES (AP) Betty White, whose saucy, up-for-anything charm made her a television mainstay for more than 60 years, whether as a man-crazy TV hostess on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" or the loopy housemate on "The Golden Girls," has died. 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. "Early on, she went to the head usher and asked why the staff didn't return her good morning greetings," Smith told ABC News. Among the revelations in the biography: 1. 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. 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. After graduating from high school in 1936 she attended the Bennington School of Dance in Vermont for two summers, where she met choreographer Martha Graham. 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. Ford was also observed as upgrading her wardrobe, adding designer clothing. First Lady Barbara Bush holds the medal. On December 26, 2006, Gerald Ford, the 38th president of the United States, died at home in Rancho Mirage, California at 6:45 p.m. local time (02:45, December 27, UTC). In this statement, she also praised the reputation of the hospital's addiction treatment program, and declared her pleasure to have the opportunity to attend the treatment. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Betty_Ford&oldid=1133654245, Dubriwny, Tasha N. "Constructing breast cancer in the news: Betty Ford and the evolution of the breast cancer patient. Hortense and William married on November 9, 1904, in Chicago. As the First Lady . Bette Ford came to New York City from a small town outside of Pittsburgh, PA, with big dreams . 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]. She became well known for her openness. ", President George H.W. Shortly after she decided to file for divorce, Warren fell into a coma. They took away my tension and my pain". She also, ultimately agreed to attend rehab at the Naval Regional Medical Center in Long Beach, California. [3], In 2013, Ford was posthumously inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. Betty Ford passed away in June 2011 at the age of 93. 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. "Ford and Ford" in Scott Kaufman, ed. The state dinners that Ford planned as first lady made a deliberate effort to showcase American ingredients. [7] Due to conservative backlash from Ford's comments on premarital sex, marijuana use, and abortion in a 1975 60 Minutes interview, President Ford initially quipped to her that her comments had lost him a large number of votes. I took that first hit and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever experienced. [21] In addition to the arts, Ford also gave focus to projects helping the disabled during her time as second lady. She died in her sleep, in her. ABC News' David Reiter and Michael S. James contributed to this report. [33], Ford was also unapologetically pro-abortion rights. Betty developed a passion for dance at an early age. However, even after this, Ford continued with her planned campaign schedule. White whose full . Surveys of historians conducted by the Siena College Research Institute have shown that historians regard Ford to be among the best and most courageous American first ladies. [3], Ford accompanied her husband on a trip to mainland China in 1972. [3][5], In 1942, Elizabeth Bloomer married William G. Warren,[5][4] whom she had known since she was 12. It was something the couple neither expected or wanted, Betty Ford recalled in her memoirs. ", Hummer, Jill Abraham. Helping others overcome addiction became her chief cause. [19] The use of Ford in such a manner to promote her husband's candidacy was not the work of the campaign itself, but rather, produced by supporters outside of the campaign organization. Phyllis Schlafly accused Ford of acting improperly by intervening in state affairs. [3] Ford received support from her family and managed to resume a busy lifestyle. [92] In November 1981, Ford stated that Governor of Illinois James R. Thompson had not done enough in support of the ERA as well as her disappointment with First Lady Nancy Reagan not being in favor of the measure, though also relayed her hopes to change the incumbent First Lady's mind in further encounters with her. "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. She also organized her own dance group and taught dance at various sites in Grand Rapids, including the Calla Travis Dance Studio. Fellow first lady Nancy Reagan also was "deeply saddened" by the news. She was married to Gerald Ford for 58 years. . After her initial anger over the intrusion in her life, Betty remained. The former, then in her 90s, sent the latter a letter in 2009, shortly after Barack Obama's presidential inauguration. That same year, People named Ford one of the three most intriguing people in America. 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 . After leaving. 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 . For state dinners held using this tent, the receptions, entertainment, and dancing portions of the evenings were still held inside of the White House. Her own battle with breast cancer led to her advocacy for early breast cancer detection. 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. He later worked for the Continental Can Company, and after that for the Widdicomb Furniture Company. [12] Ford felt an obligation to attend her husband's testimony at his confirmation hearings. [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. [80] In November 1977, Ford appeared at the opening session of the National Women's Conference in Houston, Texas. By February 1948 the couple was engaged to be married. [3] Ford also volunteered for local charitable organizations, including serving as the program director of the Alexandria Cancer Fund Drive. The official cause of death listed on the Los Angeles County document obtained by CNN . Her cause of death was not immediately clear. [3][19] Ford also posed for newspaper publicity photographs and was a clothing model for charity fashion shows, after a Republican had urged her to do so since they felt that Democratic Party spouses had far outnumbered Republican spouses in such publicity-generating activity. "Did they dislike her? In 1965, Ford suffered a significant nervous breakdown, erupting in severe crying that had appeared inexplicable to others. 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. Nor did she address her relationship with alcohol, which she, at the time, believed was typical consumption. Ford's failure to conduct a solo trip is not all that extraordinary, however. "[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 began taking prescription pain killers in the 1960s for a pinched nerve. [21], Both Betty and Gerald Ford refuse to comment on speculation that President Nixon might be forced out of office due to the Watergate scandal. Elizabeth "Betty" Bloomer was born on April 8, 1918, in Chicago, Illinois, and spent most of her childhood in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Betty Ford was at his side. [3], Ford had an extremely busy schedule by July 1974. [90] She was an active member of the Junior League. Married and divorced in her 20s, in 1947 her life changed forever when she met Gerald R. Ford. Betty" (2013). Elizabeth Anne "Betty" Bloomer Ford was the widow of former United States President Gerald R. Ford and served as the First Lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977. She successfully lobbied her husband to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to choreographer and dancer Martha Graham in 1976. You see, Betty (played on The First Lady by Michelle Pfeiffer and Kristine Froseth) was married to William before she wed former President Gerald Ford (Aaron Eckhart). Take a look at images from Betty Ford's years in the White House. This prospect elated Ford. [3][19] Ford registered herself at the hospital on April 11, 1978. "Competing conceptions of the first ladyship: Public responses to Betty Ford's 60 Minutes interview. 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. Murray Close/SHOWTIME. Among the nations that Ford accompanied her husband to were China, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia. A month after moving into the White House, Betty Ford was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy. Betty: A Glad Awakening. In the 1950s Bette Ford turned heads and raised eyebrows when she became a model-actress-bullfighter. Ford succeeded in getting sober. [7][34][37] However, polling would show that her comments were accepted by many Americans. Hazelden . 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. [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. However, she abused these prescriptions, regularly taking many more pills than prescribed. [3], As she became a more active second lady, Ford adopted an objective of promoting the arts. Since she passed, fans have wondered what Betty White's cause of death was and how she died three weeks before her 100th birthday. [25][26] The dinner was held in the John Quincy Adam's Drawing Room, one of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the United States Department of State headquarters at the Harry S Truman Building. [50] In 1974, Ford placed second in the poll. In 2003, Ford produced another book, Healing and Hope: Six Women from the Betty Ford Center Share Their Powerful Journeys of Addiction and Recovery. The Nixons had previously removed dancing from the state dinners during Nixon's presidency. Her 20s, in 1947 her life, Betty Ford did as first lady Nancy Reagan also ``! One personmaybe more performed with the Company at Carnegie Hall in New York City, Mrs. helped... Document obtained by CNN [ 42 ] [ 19 ], Ford was about... To his first term in Congress China, Poland, Romania, and her! Effort to showcase American ingredients position differed from the state dinners that Ford accompanied her husband to award presidential. 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