Gerald Ford Facts - 38th President of USA

The thirty-eighth president of the United States of America Gerald Ford Facts. He was born with the name Leslie Lynch King, Jr. in Omaha, Nebraska on July 14, 1913.

Gerald Ford Life

Gerald Ford Facts - His parents lived with his paternal grandparents. Ford's father, was Leslie Lynch King, Sr., who was a wool trader and banker. His mother was Dorothy Ayer Gardner, and she separated from King after her son was only sixteen days old. She left with Gerald to the Oak Park, Illinois home of her sister and her husband.

Then she moved to her parents' home in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She divorced Leslie in December of 1913 and received full custody of Gerald. Leslie refused to pay child support for his son, but the baby's paternal grandfather paid full child support for the baby until he died in 1930.

Gerald Ford later admitted that his biological father would hit his mother. It was reported that the separation and divorce were influenced by Leslie King threatening his wife with a butcher knife, as well as Ford and his nursemaid.

On February 1, 1916, Dorothy King married Gerald Rudolff Ford. They began to call Leslie Gerald instead, but he was never formally adopted, although he did change his name legally on December 3, 1935.

He was primarily raised in Grand Rapids by his mother and stepfather and his three half brothers from his mother's second marriage. He also had three half-siblings from his father's second marriage.  He never knew these siblings, and in fact, never even knew of his biological father's existence until he was informed of him when he was seventeen years old.

Leslie King, his biological father, approached him at a Grand Rapids restaurant, and they did have some contact until his biological father's death.

Gerald Ford Education

Gerald Ford married Elizabeth (Betty) Bloomer Warren, a divorcee. The couple was married for 58 years and had four children: Michael Gerald Ford, John Gardner Ford, Steven Meigs Ford, and Susan Elizabeth Ford.

As First Lady, Betty Ford was active in social policy and was active in politics. She has been remembered for raising breast cancer awareness, the Equal Rights Amendment, Pro-Choice, and being a leader in the Women's Movement.

She would comment on many social issues, such as drugs, sex, abortion, gun control, equal pay, ERA, and feminism. She also talked about her battle with alcoholism in the 1970s. She is the founder of the Betty Ford Center for addiction and substance abuse. She also received the Congressional Gold Medal.

President Gerald Ford

Gerald Rudolph Ford was the 38th President of the United States, and he served from 1974 until 1977. Also, he was the 40th Vice President, from 1973 until 1974.

Moreover, he was the first to become Vice President under the 25th Amendment. He was the only President of the United States who was not elected to the position of Vice President or President.

While President, Gerald Ford signed the Helsinki Accords, which moved towards easing the Cold War. South Vietnam was conquered by North Vietnam only nine months into the presidency, and so as a result, the U.S. involvement basically ended in Vietnam.

As far as domestic concerns, Ford was President when the economy was in the worst shape since the Great Depression. There were recession and inflation during his presidency.

One action he took that was controversial was giving a presidential pardon to Richard Nixon after his involvement in the Watergate scandal. In 1976, Ford was able to retain the Republican nomination over Ronald Reagan, but he lost the presidential election to Jimmy Carter, a Democrat.

Gerald Ford Death

After his presidency, Ford continued to be active in the Republican Party. He did experience health problems and was in the hospital a total of four times in 2006. On December 26, 2006, he died in his home. He lived to be 93 years old and 165 days, which made him the oldest U.S. president.

Facts About Gerald Ford 

NICKNAME
Jerry

BIRTH
Gerald Rudolph Ford was born on July 14, 1913
in Omaha, Nebraska

MOTHER
Dorothy A. Gardner King

FATHER
Gerald R. Ford Sr.

SISTERS
Half-Sister: Marjorie King and Patricia King

BROTHERS
Half-Brothers: Leslie (bud) Henry King, Thomas G. Ford,
Richard A. Ford and James F. Ford

MARRIAGE
Elizabeth (Betty) Anne Bloomer Warren October 15, 1948
in Grand Rapids, Michigan

CHILDREN
Michael Gerald, John Gardner, Steven Meigs, and Susan Elizabeth

EDUCATION
South High School
University of Michigan, 1935
Yale University Law School, 1941

RELIGION
Episcopalian

PRE-PRESIDENCY PROFESSION
Lawyer and Navy Officer

MILITARY SERVICE
Ensign Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy, active duty (1942-1946)

POLITICAL LIFE

U.S. Representative (1949-1973)
House minority leader (1965-1973)
Vice President (1973-1974)
U..S President, one term

POLITICAL PARTY
Republican

INAUGURATION
August 9, 1974, at the age of 61

Gerald Ford Administration

PRESIDENCY
One Term (August 9, 1974-January 20, 1977)
Gerald Rudolph Ford was the first President to hold both high offices (President and Vice President) without being elected to either position

VICE PRESIDENT
Nelson A. Rockefeller (1974-1977)

FIRST LADY
Betty Ford (1974-1977)
Facts about Betty Ford
Biography of Betty Ford

SUPREME COURT APPOINTMENTS
John Paul Stevens (1975)

Gerald Ford Cabinet

SECRETARY OF STATE
Henry Kissinger (1974-1977)

SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
William E. Simon (1974-1977)

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
James R. Schlesinger (1974-1975)
Donald H. Rumsfeld (1975-1977)

ATTORNEY GENERAL
William B. Saxbe (1974-1975)
Edward H. Levi (1975-1977)

SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Roger C. B. Morton (1974-1975)
Stanley K. Hathaway (1975, June-July)
Thomas S. Kleppe (1975-1977)

SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
Earl L. Butz (1971-1976)
John A. Knebel (1976-1977)

SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
Frederick B. Dent (1973-1975)
Rogers C. B. Morton (1975, April-December)
Elliot L. Richardson (1975-1977)

SECRETARY OF LABOR
Peter J. Brennan (1973-1975)
John T. Dunlop (1975-1976)
W. J. Usery Jr. (1976-1977)

SECRETARY OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
Casper W. Weinberger (1973-1975)
F. David Matthews (1975-1977)

SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
James T. Lynn (1973-1975)
Carla A. Hills (1975-1977)

SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION
Claude S. Brinegar (1973-1975)
William T. Coleman Jr. (1975-1977)

POST PRESIDENCY LIFE

Speaker, businessman, and writer

DEATH
Gerald Rudolph Ford died on December 26, 2006, in Rancho Mirage, California at the age of 93

BURIAL PLACE
Grand Rapids, Michigan

LANDMARKS
Omaha, Nebraska (birthplace)
Gerald R. Ford Library, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Gerald R. Ford Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan