Kurt's Historic Sites
Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr.
| Cause of Death | Age | Burial Location | President Grave # |
| Arteriosclerosis | 93 | Grand Rapids, Michigan | 37th in my collection |
The 38th president of the United States is During his administration, Ford was able to
interred on the grounds of his presidential bring a sense of trust and respect back to
museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan. the presidency.
Ford originally started out as an attorney. From 1949 to 1973, Jerry Ford served as a
Passing the bar in 1941, Ford and a friend member of the House of Representatives.
opened up a law firm, although their plans In 1965, he became the House's minority
were interrupted by the United States' entry leader and held that title until he became
into World War II. vice president.
*** Interesting Facts ***
* Technically, Gerald Ford was the only "king" to become president of the United States of America. His birth name was Leslie Lynch King, Jr. Only a few days after his son's birth, Leslie Sr., who had a history of being abusive, threatened his family with a kitchen blade, prompting his wife to flee with her newborn child. The two divorced soon after, and in 1916, Dorothy King married a man named Gerald Rudolff Ford. Eventually, Leslie Jr.'s name was legally changed to pay homage to his stepfather.
* Technically, Gerald Ford was the only "king" to become president of the United States of America. His birth name was Leslie Lynch King, Jr. Only a few days after his son's birth, Leslie Sr., who had a history of being abusive, threatened his family with a kitchen blade, prompting his wife to flee with her newborn child. The two divorced soon after, and in 1916, Dorothy King married a man named Gerald Rudolff Ford. Eventually, Leslie Jr.'s name was legally changed to pay homage to his stepfather.
* In October of 1973, Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned following allegations of tax evasion and bribery. While in the past the position of vice president would have stayed vacant until inauguration day in 1977, the recently passed 25th amendment required that there always be a sitting VP. Just two days after Agnew's resignation, House Minority Leader Gerald Ford was nominated for the position. On November 27th, Ford was approved by the U.S. Senate and then by the House of Representatives nine days later. On December 6th, he was sworn in as the 40th vice president of the United States.
* Ford did not stay vice president for very long, however. Nixon was up to his neck in trouble, stemming from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters and the president's work to cover it up. On August 8th, 1974, Nixon announced his resignation from the presidency and that Vice President Ford would be taking his place. The transfer of power took place the following day at noon, at which time Ford became the only person ever to be both president and vice president but not elected to either office.
* On September 8th, not even a month after ascending to the presidency, Ford pardoned former President Nixon of all charges. He stated that he felt an unconditional pardon was necessary and in the nation's best interest. Some politicians at the time believed that this was the result of a deal with Nixon and his chief of staff, but Ford maintained that no such transaction occurred. All the same, the pardoning of Richard Nixon helped lead to Ford's defeat in the 1976 election. Subsequently, however, the general consensus has been that Jerry Ford made the right decision and healed the nation's wounds.
* When Ford died in December of 2006, he was the oldest former president of the United States. He was 93 years and 165 days old, which surpassed Ronald Reagan's record by forty-five days. He was also the last surviving member of the Warren Commission, a committee founded to investigate the assassination of John Kennedy. Ford's wife, Betty, lived to the age of 93 as well. Only two first ladies, Bess Truman and Lady Bird Johnson, were older at the time of their deaths.
First Lady: Elizabeth Anne Bloomer Ford
- Spouse: Elizabeth Anne Bloomer Ford (1918-2011)
Political Party: Republican Party
Vice President: Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (1974-1977)
Last Words: Unknown
