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. "I certainly did not want it, and neither did our children. Gena Rowlands won both an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for her portrayal of Ford. [3], Ford campaigned actively both during primary elections and the general election. [3][5][6] While she was still in high school, she started her own dance school, instructing both youth and adults. The Nixons had previously removed dancing from the state dinners during Nixon's presidency. [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. The former, then in her 90s, sent the latter a letter in 2009, shortly after Barack Obama's presidential inauguration. 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). ABC News' David Reiter and Michael S. James contributed to this report. She wrote about it in her book, "A Glad Awakening." [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. Her candor in talking about and dealing with substance abuse and treatment helped led to an improvement in how Americans talk about such matters. Seated (lr): Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon, Rosalynn Carter, Ford; Standing (lr): Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, President Bill Clinton speaks with the Fords at the White House ceremony awarding the at a 1999 Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony, Ford with other U.S. First Ladies at the 1994 National Garden Gala, which was themed "A Tribune to America's First Ladies". [37] Ford ultimately played an important role in the 1976 election campaign. 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. Betty: A Glad Awakening. With Betty Ford you had a progressive woman . [7][36] While President Ford never attempted to silence his wife, some of his senior staff resented her independent candor. Married and divorced in her 20s, in 1947 her life changed forever when she met Gerald R. Ford. [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. [15] This open affection was evident from the beginning of Gerald Ford's presidency. As we told you back in 2020, Betty rarely left her home once the COVID-19 pandemic began.. Rancho Mirage, California, USA; Recently Passed Away Celebrities and Famous People. [3][16] The speech was delivered on the day after the election. By February 1948 the couple was engaged to be married. Since the 1960s, even before she was the first lady, Betty took prescription opioid painkillers for a pinched nerve and severe arthritic pain. [25] The first of these came only a week into Ford's presidency, hosting King Hussein of Jordan on August 16, 1974. 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. [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. Since she passed, fans have wondered what Betty White's cause of death was and how she died three weeks before her 100th birthday. Gerald Ford: Gerald Ford was president of the United States between 1974 and 1977. 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 . "[34] This reflects a common trend of American first ladies often being more popular than the presidents to which they are married. [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". [12] Ford felt an obligation to attend her husband's testimony at his confirmation hearings. "[23], The media "broke" the story that Ford had a previous marriage and had been divorced, initially reporting it as a secret revelation. [19] Ford's abortion position differed from the political platform of the Republican Party. 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. When they returned to Grand Rapids, she worked again at Herpolsheimer's, this time as the fashion coordinator. 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. I'm sure I've saved at least one personmaybe more. When did Betty Ford die? As it turns out, Betty Ford did send a letter to Michelle Obama. [79] In September of that year, Ford traveled to Moscow for a television program taping and to serve as hostess for The Nutcracker. [80] In November 1977, Ford appeared at the opening session of the National Women's Conference in Houston, Texas. 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. Nor did she address her relationship with alcohol, which she, at the time, believed was typical consumption. [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. She died Friday at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif. and her cause of death was not immediately clear. "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. 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. AP. [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. [42][43][44] Gerald Ford did not know about or see the photo until 1994. Her taboo-busting honesty about abortion, sex, gay rights, marijuana and the Equal Rights . As our nation's first lady, she was a powerful advocate for women's health and women's rights. "Betty was a remarkable woman whose legacy will live on in people around the country whose lives are longer and better because of her work. [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. [102] After the service, Betty Ford was buried next to her husband on the museum grounds. Betty Ford, whose husband, Gerald, died in December 2006, had undergone surgery for an undisclosed ailment in April 2007. Become a member and. [53] In 1977, the year her husband left office, she placed fourth. White whose full . During her brief turn as first lady in the height of the "Swinging . "[88], Ford continued to be an active leader and activist of the feminist movement after the Ford administration. She was also outspoken on women's rights issues. The first instance of a first lady conducting one had been Eleanor Roosevelt in 1942. 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. The state dinners that Ford planned as first lady made a deliberate effort to showcase American ingredients. She was 99. Magazines such as Vogue and Ladies Home Journal were planning to publish spreads on Ford in upcoming issues. A month after moving into the White House, Betty Ford was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy. Her mother remarried, to family friend and neighbor Arthur Meigs Godwin, and Bloomer lived with them. Betty Ford may be the most famous and least known First Lady in history. [40] By late-1975, Harris found Ford to have established herself as one of America's most popular first ladies. She continued to strongly advocate and lobby politicians and state legislatures for passage of the ERA. After leaving. She worked a production line for a frozen food company in Fulton, New York. Ford with other U.S. First Ladies at the November 1991 opening of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. 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 . Because of her leadership, many lives were saved.". [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. Betty Ford. Ford has consistently ranked among the top-nine most highly assessed first ladies in these surveys. We were proud to call her a friend.". [3], During the primaries, Ford recorded radio advertisements on behalf of the campaign that were broadcast in New Hampshire. [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. [46][47] The photo was subsequently published and is regarded as an "iconic" photograph of Ford's time as First Lady. Much of this progress began in the 1970s through the voice and advocacy of Betty Ford. It amounted to as aestheticization of breast cancer and her coverage became the major discursive model for looking at all breast cancer survivors. [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. [116] She also received that year's "Commitment to Life Award" from the Los Angeles AIDS Project. 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. [3] After the interview aired, a number of Ford's remarks in this interview on hot-button issues generated particularly immense media attention. [3][12] With her husband assuming the office of vice president, Ford became the second lady of the United States. LOS ANGELES, California -- Actress Betty White passed away in her sleep on Friday, her agent has confirmed to ABC News. Elizabeth Bloomer, who was known from childhood as Betty, was born in 1918 in Chicago and grew up in Michigan. In 1964, a pinched nerve on the left side of Ford's neck sent her to the hospital for two weeks. 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. On Aug. 9, 1974, Nixon stepped down following the Watergate scandal. [34] Ford's popularity often was higher than her husband's. . The American public ranked Ford as the eighth-greatest among these first ladies. [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. By not being the "political wife" of self-sacrificing legend, she both reflected and advanced public views about women in politics. 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. [3], As she became a more active second lady, Ford adopted an objective of promoting the arts. 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. She received an award from Parsons The New School for Design in recognition of her style. [19][61] In a 1975 interview with the news program 60 Minutes, Ford called Roe v. Wade a "great, great decision". In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed Ford to the second National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year (the first had been appointed by President Ford). 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 observed audibly telling her husband "I love you" following a kiss they shared right after he was sworn in as president. Betty Ford passed away in June 2011 at the age of 93. [24] Ford's attendance at the funeral was, in actuality, a break from the administration. "Issues of Openness and Privacy: Press and Public Response to Betty Ford's Breast Cancer. At the time Betty Ford, the wife of former President Gerald Ford, was one of the most admired women in the United States. "[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). [50] In 1974, Ford placed second in the poll. The union did not last, and they divorced amicably several years later. [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. [63], Ford's involvement in political issues received some conservative criticism. Neither was shy about their mutual love and equal respect, and they were known to have a strong personal and political partnership. This dinner was part of the American bicentennial celebrations, and was held in tents on the South Lawn of the White House. [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. Showtime's "The First Lady" flips the camera's focus to the women who brought about transformational change from the East Wing of the White House. Betty Ford dies at 93; former first lady. During her time in the White House, she also admitted to taking Valium. "I just think it's important to say how easy it is to slip into a dependency on pills or alcohol, and how hard it is to admit that dependency.". 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. She worked with children with disabilities at the Mary Free Bed Home for Crippled Children. 'Not at all,' he replied. In fact, when Mrs . [7], Ford supported numerous charities as first lady. She was also awarded the Congressional Gold Medal as a co-recipient with President Ford in 1998. July 12, 2011 Her mother's actions in the wake of her father's passing are said to have been formative for her views in support of equal pay and gender equality. [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. "[29] She was regarded to be the most politically outspoken first lady since Eleanor Roosevelt. 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. [33], Steinhauer of The New York Times described Ford as "a product and symbol of the cultural and political timesdoing the Bump dance along the corridors of the White House, donning a mood ring, chatting on her CB radio with the handle First Mamaa housewife who argued passionately for equal rights for women, a mother of four who mused about drugs, abortion and premarital sex aloud and without regret. 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. She also was completely unpretentious. Though I told myself I would just use once. 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. 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. She was called Betty as a child.. Hortense and William married on November 9, 1904, in Chicago. Through the work she did at the Betty Ford Center, Ford recognized the link between drug abuse and AIDS. 4 Mrs. Ford later reasoned, "I thought that there are women all over the country like me. The IMDb credits for the May 1 episode, "Please Allow Me," show that Thomas E. Sullivan an actor who has had recurring parts on . This meant that Gerald Ford was away from home for roughly half the year, placing a great burden on Ford to raise their children. During her stay at the White House, her dependency on these drugs seemingly dissipated. Betty Ford Biography Betty Ford, the United States' first lady, was born on April 8, 1918. In 2005, Ford relinquished her chair of the center's board of directors to her daughter Susan. [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. Days later, Ford also disclosed to the public that she had come to realize that she was additionally an alcoholic. "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. Ford had believed it to be of great importance for the administration to show an expression of direct concern pertaining to the assassination, while Nixon's staff disagreed with her. Reactions to Ford's death came in quickly from subsequent occupants of the White House. Because the pills were prescribed by a physician, she did not believe that she had a . [3], The Fords meet with President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan in the White House Oval Office in March 1981. 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. [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. Her coverage minimized the complexity of breast cancer as a disease and ignored the debates surrounding best treatment practices. She became well known for her openness. Betty Ford Birthday and Date of Death. For state dinners held using this tent, the receptions, entertainment, and dancing portions of the evenings were still held inside of the White House. [107][108] In the 2014 Siena Research Institute survey, historians ranked Ford 3rd-highest among 20th and 21st century First Ladies in the greatness of post-White House service, 3rd-highest in advancement of women's issues, and 4th-highest in creating a lasting legacy. [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. Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation History. She was working in a fashion job in Grand Rapids where Gerald lived. During these two years, she lived upstairs while he was nursed downstairs[3] She worked jobs in order to support both herself and Warren. The Betty Ford Center, which already has helped change the lives of thousands of people, will be her lasting legacy of care and concern. Soon after leaving office, she raised awareness of addiction when she sought help for and publicly disclosed her long-running struggle with alcoholism and substance abuse. Former first lady Betty Ford has died at the age of 93. "Competing conceptions of the first ladyship: Public responses to Betty Ford's 60 Minutes interview. She made countless contributions to our country, and we especially appreciate her courage in calling attention to breast cancer and substance abuse. [40], In 1985, Ford received the Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged, an annual award given by the Jefferson Awards. Ford had declared that she would be accompanying her husband at campaign functions, "when he wants me to. [41], The Fords were among the more openly affectionate first couples in United States history. 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. She studied dance under Martha Graham in New York, working as a fashion model to finance her studies. They took away my tension and my pain". [98] That same year, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to her and her husband. Ford would become the 38th president of the United States. She suffered from severe arthritic pain in her neck and muscle spasms. [5] Warren was an alcoholic and diabetic, and was in poor health. In another instance, she commented, "it's just impossible for me to lie and look someone in the eyes and talk to them. Ford was also observed as upgrading her wardrobe, adding designer clothing. Betty's two older brothers were Robert (d. 1971) and . Later that day, President Ford was caught momentarily patting Betty's buttocks before the press gathered outside of their Virginia residence. [3] Ford also volunteered for local charitable organizations, including serving as the program director of the Alexandria Cancer Fund Drive. "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. In addition, she was a passionate supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Phyllis Schlafly accused Ford of acting improperly by intervening in state affairs. [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 recalled that the first time she heard someone call her father an alcoholic was at his funeral. [3], On August 9, 1974, after the resignation of Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford ascended to the position of president of the United States,[12] and Betty Ford became the first lady of the United States. Ford's failure to conduct a solo trip is not all that extraordinary, however. [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. [9][10] He died the day before his 60th birthday. [3][19] Ford took doses of this medication in excess of her prescription. During his testimony, Gerald Ford was questioned about attending psychiatric care. In contrast, there was tremendous organic excitement for Betty Ford among supporters of the campaign. Warters, T. Alissa. He died of a heart attack just four years after leaving office. She regularly drove her children around to their activities, such as her sons' Little League Baseball games and her daughter's dance classes. [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. The cause of Betty Ford's death was never disclosed. "I'm not out to rescue anybody who doesn't want to be rescued," she once said. In 1985, Ford received the Los Angeles AIDS Projects "Commitment to Life Award". [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. Thereafter, Mrs. Ford's daily greetings were verbally reciprocated.". [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. [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.
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