First Lady Betty Ford, widow of President Gerald R. Ford, who died four and a half years ago at 93, tonight passed away at the same age of 93!
With her death, the nation has lost one of its greatest First Ladies, and one who never sought the title or the position!
Betty Ford was a shy person who never looked for the limelight, and was far from thrilled when her husband suddenly became President on August 9, 1974, upon the resignation of President Richard Nixon due to the Watergate scandal.
But she was a loyal wife who took it upon herself to speak up in a modern way not seen since Eleanor Roosevelt was First Lady in the administration of her husband, Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Betty Ford spoke up for the Equal Rights Amendment for women; supported abortion rights; was courageous to expose and champion the issue of breast cancer after she had surgery as First Lady because of having that medical problem; and made public as well her addiction to pain pills due to depression, and promoted the Betty Ford Center in California for people who had drug or alcohol problems as she had.
Betty Ford was a woman of courage and conviction; a feminist when it was not popular in many circles, particularly Republican, to be so; and in every sense a MODERN lady, who helped to humanize her husband, who while considered a conservative at the time of his Presidency, today would come across as a moderate to liberal Republican, probably likely to be read out of the party with its right wing extremist trend in recent years!
The author always admired Betty Ford, and the nation will mourn the death of this elegant, classy lady, who added to the office of First Lady of the United States, as one of its greatest representatives!