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Elizabeth Anne Ford ( née 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. As first lady, she was active in social policy and set a precedent as a politically active presidential spouse.
Apr 18, 2024 · Betty Ford was an American first lady (1974–77)—the wife of Gerald Ford, 38th president of the United States—and founder of the Betty Ford Center, a facility dedicated to helping people recover from drug and alcohol dependence. She was noted for her strong opinions on public issues and her candour.
- Betty Boyd Caroli
- Who Was Betty Ford?
- Early Life and Education
- Work and First Marriage
- Marriage to Gerald Ford
- First Lady
- Political Will
- Struggle with Addiction and The Betty Ford Center
- Final Years
Betty Ford became the first lady of the United States when her husband, Gerald Ford, assumed the office following President Richard Nixon's resignation. She became well known for her openness as first lady—a trend that continued after the Fords left the White House, when she created the Betty Ford Center for addiction.
Born Elizabeth Anne Bloomer in Chicago, Illinois, on April 8, 1918, Betty Ford was the third child and only daughter of William Bloomer Sr. and Hortense Neahr. Her father worked for the Royal Rubber Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan; her mother was related to a wealthy Grand Rapids furniture manufacturing family. Betty's mother thought social grace...
Hortense Bloomer never completely accepted her daughter's career choice and urged Betty to come home. Finally, after realizing that she would probably not be a premier dancer, Betty returned to Grand Rapids in 1941 to work full-time at Herpolscheimer's department store. After a series of promotions, she became a fashion coordinator for the store. S...
In August 1947, Betty met 34-year-old attorney Gerald Ford, a U.S. Navy lieutenant. Gerald had returned from duty to resume his law practice, and to run for U.S. Congress. The couple dated for a year before Ford proposed in February 1948, and the couple married two weeks before the November election. He picked this date because he was concerned the...
On December 6, 1973, Gerald was appointed Vice President under Richard Nixon, after Vice President Spiro Angew resigned. Then, on August 9, 1974, in an unprecedented move, Nixon resigned from office under pressure from the Watergate scandal. Under United States law, Gerald became the 38th President of the United States and Betty was officially the ...
Weeks after Betty became the first lady, she was diagnosed with malignant breast cancer during a routine exam. Betty underwent a mastectomy, and her openness about her illness raised visibility for a disease that Americans had previously been reluctant to discuss. During her convalescence, she realized the influence and power being the first lady h...
Since the early 1960s, Betty Ford had been taking opioid analgesics for pain from a pinched nerve. Her dependency on these drugs had dissipated during her time in the White House, but after leaving Washington, D.C., her drinking of alcohol increased—as did her use of prescription drugs. In 1978, the Ford family staged an intervention and forced Bet...
In 1987, Betty published a book about her treatment entitled Betty: A Glad Awakening. In 2003, she produced another book,Healing and Hope: Six Women from the Betty Ford Center Share Their Powerful Journeys of Addiction and Recovery. In 1991, she earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George H.W. Bush; then received the Congressional Gold Medal...
Learn about Betty Ford, the wife of Gerald Ford, the 38th president of the United States. Discover her life story, from her dance career to her breast cancer diagnosis, and her advocacy for women's rights and addiction treatment.
Jul 9, 2011 · 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...
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Sep 21, 2018 · Betty Ford was the first lady who courageously spoke her mind and shared her struggles on breast cancer, abortion and addiction. She started national dialogues that saved countless American lives and influenced women's healthcare, women's rights and social issues. Learn more about her legacy and achievements.
Jul 12, 2011 · Watch an excerpt of a documentary that chronicled the life, work and advocacy of Betty Ford, who died in 2011 at age 93. She was the first first lady to take on a feminist agenda and to speak openly about her struggles with breast cancer and addiction.
