Betty Ford
| Betty Ford | |
|---|---|
Ford's White House Portrait (1974)
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| First Lady of the United States | |
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In role August 9, 1974 – January 20, 1977 |
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| President | Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Pat Nixon |
| Succeeded by | Rosalynn Carter |
| Second Lady of the United States | |
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In role December 6, 1973 – August 9, 1974 |
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| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Judy Agnew (Oct. 1973) |
| Succeeded by | Happy Rockefeller (Dec. 1974) |
| Chairperson of the Betty Ford Center | |
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In office 1982–2005 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Susan Ford |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Elizabeth Ann Bloomer April 8, 1918 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | July 8, 2011 (aged 93) Rancho Mirage, California, U.S. |
| Resting place |
Gerald R. Ford Museum Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) |
William Warren (m. 1942; div. 1947) Gerald Ford (m. 1948; d. 2006) |
| Children | |
| Signature |  |
Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Ford (née Bloomer; April 8, 1918 – July 8, 2011) was First Lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977, as the wife of the 38th President of the United States, Gerald Ford. As First Lady, she was active in social policy and created precedents as a politically active presidential wife.
Throughout her husband's term in office, she maintained high approval ratings despite opposition from some conservative Republicans who objected to her more moderate and liberal positions on social issues. Ford was noted for raising breast cancer awareness following her 1974 mastectomy. In addition, she was a passionate supporter of, and activist for, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Pro-choice on abortion and a leader in the Women's Movement, she gained fame as one of the most candid first ladies in history, commenting on every hot-button issue of the time, including feminism, equal pay, the ERA, sex, drugs, abortion, and gun control. She also raised awareness of addiction when in the 1970s, she announced her long-running battle with alcoholism and substance abuse, being the first First Lady to do so.
Following her White House years, she continued to lobby for the ERA and remained active in the feminist movement. She was the founder, and served as the first chair of the board of directors, of the Betty Ford Center for substance abuse and addiction. She was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal (co-presentation with her husband, Gerald R. Ford, October 21, 1998) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (presented 1991 by George H. W. Bush).
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