Saturday, July 9th, 2011 at 12:30 pm , filed under Breaking News by Kevin Scott
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Betty Ford, the outspoken former First Lady of the United States, has passed away at the age of 93. A family member dished on that the widow of late President Gerald Ford died on Friday evening, July 8 with family at her bedside.
The former first lady underwent “minor surgery” for an undetermined condition at the Eisenhower Medical Center near her residence in Rancho Mirage, Calif in early April 2007.
Except for a trip to church, Ford had not made any public debuts since the funeral of her husband, Gerald Ford, who died 26th Dec, 2006, at home in Rancho Mirage at 93.
After his death, Betty accompanied his dead body on a grueling six-day funeral journey from California to Washington, to their former hometown of Grand Rapids, Mich., where he was laid to rest.
During the events, she appeared weak and fragile during the occasionally and events required a wheelchair.
Betty Ford has spent only 2 1/2 years as first lady, as her husband became the 38th president in August 1974 after Richard Nixon resigned during the Watergate scandal. She was blow on the nation rivaled that of Eleanor Roosevelt, who had 12 years to make her position.
A survivor of breast cancer, Ford went to become one of the first advocates for breast cancer awareness. She leaves behind 4 children, 7 grand-children and 4 great-grandchildren.
Betty Ford served as the First Lady from 1974 to 1977. She helped founded the Betty Ford Clinic after she herself overcame alcoholism and an addiction to pills.
His son and former US president George W. Bush also expressed his admiration of Betty Ford.
Tags: Betty Ford, Betty Ford Passed Away at 93, Former First Lady, Former First Lady Betty Ford Died, George W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon