Biography

As of August 27, 2010 at the age of 92 years, 4 months, and 19 days, she is the third longest-lived First Lady, after Bess Truman (1885-1982 97 years, 10 months, and 5 days) and Lady Bird Johnson (1912-2007 95 years, 6 months, and 19 days).

Her family spent summers at Whitefish Lake. She studied dance at 8 years old. She studied dance for two summers at the Bennington School of the Dance at Bennington College in Vermont. She was confirmed Episcopalian at 14 years old. Her mother was Episcopalian and her father was a Christian Scientist.

Co-founder of The Betty Ford Center, Rancho Mirage, California. The mission of the center is "To provide effective alcohol and other drug dependency treatment services, including programs of education and research to help women, men and families begin the process of recovery".

Her second husband, Gerald Ford, died on December 26, 2006 from heart failure at age 93 after 58 years of marriage.

First Lady of the United States of America from 9 August 1974 until 20 January 1977, as wife of the thirty-eighth U.S. President, Gerald Ford.

[on her radical mastectomy in November 1976] No! Oh no -heavens, no. I've heard women say they'd rather lose their right arm, and I can't imagine it. It's so stupid. I can ever wear my evening clothes. Go as quickly as possible and get it done. Once it's done, put it behind you and go on with your life.

[on her husband's career and her life] Now I know that some of the pain was trying to wipe out was emotional on one hand, I loved being 'the wife of'; and on the other hand, I was convinced that the more important Jerry became, the less important I became.

[on the Betty Ford Center] It's hard to make anyone understand what it's like to have your name on something, to be given credit for things you haven't done. I've been at meetings where someone turned and thanked me and I hugged the person and said 'Don't thank me, thank yourself, you're the one who did it with God's help.' From the beginning, we have wanted every patient at the center to feel, 'I'm important here I have some dignity.'

[on her husband pardoning former President Nixon] I think it had to be done.

[on her marriage and family] From the outside, our life looked like a Norman Rockwell illustration. I'd lost my feeling of self-worth. I think a lot of women go through this. Their husbands have fascinating jobs, their children start to turn into independent people and the women begin to feel useless and empty.