B Y: M A D I S O N R O N D E A U
Gerald R. Ford
• Date of Birth: July 14, 1913
• Birth Place: Omaha, Nebraska
• Date of Death: December 26, 2006
• Burial Site: On the grounds of the Gerald R. Ford
Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Family Background
Gerald Ford’s parents were Leslie Lynch King
and Dorothy Ayer Gardner. Ford was originally
named Leslie Lynch King, Jr. His parents
divorced when he was about five months old. His
mother remarried two years later to a man named
Gerald Ford. That is when Ford’s name was
changed. Although he changed his name he was
never formally adopted by his step-father. He has
three younger half brothers. Thomas, Richard,
and James. At the age of seventeen, Ford became
aware of his biological father.
October 15, 1948, Gerald Ford married
Betty Bloomer Warren.
 He has four children. Michael, he is a
minister. John, he is a journalist/ public
relations consultant. Steven, an actor/
rodeo star. Susan, a photographer.
 His wife suffered alcoholism and addiction.
With family support she opened the Betty
Ford Center in Ranch Mirage, California.

Education
He attended Madison Elementary School and
South High School in Grand Rapids. He was
captain of the football team in high school. He
went to the University of Michigan and played
football. His jersey number forty-eight has been
retired. He later turned down offers from
Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers to play
pro football in order to attend Yale Law School.
He graduated Yale in 1941.
Professional/Military Experience
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii,
December 7, 1941, he joined the Naval
Reserves in April 1942. He became a
physical fitness instructor at a pre-flight
school in Chapel Hill North Carolina. In
1943 he served on the USS Monterey as an
athletic director and gunnery division
officer. He was promoted to assistant
navigator. He had a close call with death in
December 1944 with a typhoon in the
Philippines Sea. February 1946, discharged
as a Lieutenant Commander.
Political Experience
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After returning home for the war, he became active in the local
Republican politics. Supporters wanted him to take on
Republican Congressman Bartel J. Jonkman. No one thought
he could win, he ended up winning two to one.
Ford visited farmers and promised to work on their farms and
milk the cows, during his campaign, if he was elected. He was
elected and as promised, he helped out on the farms.
For 24 years, he was a member of the House of Representatives,
congressional district seat from 1949 – 1973 for Grand Rapids.
He was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee for
two years, a prominent member of the Defense Appropriations
Subcommittee. The Republican members of the House
elected him Minority Leader in 1963. President Lyndon B,
Johnson appointed Ford to a special task, The Warren
Commission, to investigate the assassination of President John F.
Kennedy.
He served as house Minority Leader for eight years, 1965 to
1973. During this time he won many friends in the House of
Representatives because of his inoffensive personality and fair
leadership.
October 10, 1973 President Richard Nixon
nominated Ford to take Vice President Spiro
Agnew’s position. Twenty-fifth Amendment was
applied for the first time.
The Watergate investigation left little doubt
that President Nixon was involved.
Gerald Ford was sworn in as President on
August 9, 1974.
Accomplishments
One month after becoming president, Ford
pardoned Nixon. In 1974 President Ford
gave clemency to the people who ignored
the draft during the Vietnam war, but only if
they would do two years of public service.
Also, in 1974 he wanted help to be sent to
Vietnam as fighting had resumed. Congress
wouldn’t agree.
Mr. Ford enjoys playing golf, both privately and in
public events. He also like to play golf with his longtime
friend Bob Hope.
He began experiencing health problems during his
ninetieth year. He suffered from two minor strokes in
2000 Republican National Convention, but Ford made a
quick recovery.
New York Republican Governor George Pataki named
former President Ford and the other living former
presidents honorary members of the board rebuilding
the world trade center. That was on November 22,
2004.
References
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/geraldfor
d
http://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/grf/fordbiop.asp
www.potus.com