She was also outspoken on women's rights issues. She also was completely unpretentious. Asked about her illness, she said, "I'm very glad that I brought cancer to the forefront.". [20] Such talk was due to Gerald Ford, following the Republican Party's failure to win a majority in the 1972 United States House of Representatives elections, seeing it as unlikely that he would ever fulfill his ambition of becoming speaker of the House. JAKE TAPPER, KATIE HINMAN and MARTHA RADDATZ, founder of the Betty Ford Center for substance abuse and addiction. [19], In 1977, the Fords moved to Rancho Mirage, California. By not being the "political wife" of self-sacrificing legend, she both reflected and advanced public views about women in politics. Much of this progress began in the 1970s through the voice and advocacy of Betty Ford. The series is all set to release on the OTT platform on the 9th of May. "Ford and Ford" in Scott Kaufman, ed. In 2003, Ford produced another book, Healing and Hope: Six Women from the Betty Ford Center Share Their Powerful Journeys of Addiction and Recovery. In this statement, Ford disclosed, "I have found I am not only addicted to the medication I have been taking for my arthritis but also to alcohol". Elizabeth Anne "Betty" Bloomer Ford was the widow of former United States President Gerald R. Ford and served as the First Lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977. Ford surprised the media and the public by explicitly supporting a woman's right to an abortion, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), and grass roots activism. ', "October 10, 1973: Vice President Spiro Agnew Resigns", "How Betty Ford Made History Inside The White House and Beyond", "Betty Ford: unaffected, but not a 'plain country girl', "March 13, 1974 - Vice President and King Hussein of Jordan", "Betty Ford: Feminist, Social Liberal, Republican", "Betty Ford as First Lady: A Woman for Women", "Back in View, a First Lady With Her Own Legacy", "Betty's popularity rises because of her big mouth", "Presidents Advisors Urging Bigger Role for Betty Ford", "Digitized from Box 39 of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library", "Person of the Year: A Photo History - TIME", "Betty Ford, again putting on a brave face", "The Mary Tyler Moore Show: Watch Betty Ford's Memorable Cameo", "LOOK: Proof Betty Ford Was A Total Badass", "The story behind an iconic Betty Ford photo", "Then and Now: First Ladies | Roper Center for Public Opinion Research", "12 Jan 1984, 9 - The News and Observer at Newspapers.com", "Religious leaders make gains in most-admired lists", "First lady Nancy Reagan is most-admired woman", "Bush, Gorbachev Are 1-2 In Popularity Poll", "President, Barbara Bush Top 'Most Admired' Lists", "1 Jan 1978, 21 - Tampa Bay Times at Newspapers.com", "Carter First On 'Most Admired Man' List", "Reagan Replaces Pope as Most Admired Man", "Golda Meir Named As 'Most Admired'; Betty Ford Second", "Special Encore PresentationInterview with Gerald Ford", "Betty Ford 'in TipTop Shape' After Grueling FourDay Trip", "Mrs. Ford Helps 'Remember the Ladies' of Revolutionary Era", "A Certain Comfort: Betty Ford as First Lady", "Notable State Dinners at the White House", "Top 10 Memorable State-Dinner Moments - TIME", "That time FDR served hot dogs to the king, and three other strange state dinner facts", "Factbox: Notable first ladies and their travels", "After Funeral Service, Betty Ford Buried Next to Husband", "NBC News Signs Betty Ford to Pact For Two Specials", "Equal Rights Plan and Abortion Are Opposed by 15,000 at Rally", "Betty Ford Says That She Is Addicted to Alcohol", "Former first lady Betty Ford says the six years", "Addiction Treatment Betty Ford Center Rancho Mirage, CA", "Betty Ford targets children of addicted families", "Former First Lady and Women's Rights Advocate: Betty Ford", "Betty Ford, The Junior League of Grand Rapids", "Former first lady Betty Ford says she is disappointed", "Betty Ford's death marks the passing of a lost generation of moderate Republican women", "Heroes of the Presidential Medal of Freedom", "Fords receive congressional gold medal - October 27, 1999", "Palm Springs Walk of Stars: By Date Dedicated", "Ex-First Lady, Advocate for Substance Abuse Treatment Betty Ford Dies", "Betty Ford Funeral: Family, Friends Eulogize Former First Lady", "Betty Ford Sculpture Unveiled at Ford Museum", "Eleanor Roosevelt Retains Top Spot as America's Best First Lady Michelle Obama Enters Study as 5th, Hillary Clinton Drops to 6th Clinton Seen First Lady Most as Presidential Material; Laura Bush, Pat Nixon, Mamie Eisenhower, Bess Truman Could Have Done More in Office Eleanor & FDR Top Power Couple; Mary Drags Lincolns Down in the Ratings", "Ranking America's First Ladies Eleanor Roosevelt Still #1 Abigail Adams Regains 2nd Place Hillary moves from 5th to 4th; Jackie Kennedy from 4th to 3rd Mary Todd Lincoln Remains in 36th", "Ranking America's First Ladies Eleanor Roosevelt Still #1 Abigail Adams Regains 2nd Place Hillary moves from 2nd to 5th; Jackie Kennedy from 7th to 4th Mary Todd Lincoln Up From Usual Last Place", "The Zogby Poll: Greatness of the past 12 First Ladies", "Here's how 20 real-life first ladies compare to the actors who have played them", "White House Couples That Have Been Portrayed on Screen", "Review | 'The First Lady' turns three compelling women into Emmy bait", "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement", Ashley, Jeffrey S. "The Social and Political Influence of Betty Ford: Betty Bloomer Blossoms", Borrelli, Maryanne. "She has been an inspiration to so many through her efforts to educate women about breast cancer and her wonderful work at the Betty Ford Center," Reagan said. She was never more blunt and open than in 1978 when she revealed to the world her struggle to recover from her addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs. The 10-episode biographical drama, which . She also traveled to Iowa before its caucus, and delivered a speech on behalf of the president (who had been unable to make his planned appearance) in which she labeled herself as being his political partner. Los Angeles: Sage Publications. As it turns out, Betty Ford did send a letter to Michelle Obama. Ford would ultimately develop an addiction to prescription medication (and would ultimately confront and recover from this addiction in 1978). He later worked for the Continental Can Company, and after that for the Widdicomb Furniture Company. [7] Weeks later, when the Fords moved from their Virginia residence into the White House[3] their king size bed was photographed being moved into the White House, which prompted Betty to quip that they had been outed for breaking the tradition of first couples keeping separate bedrooms in the White House. Betty Ford was a former First Lady of the United States (August 9th, 1974 - January 20th, 1977). [105] In the 2014 Siena Research Institute survey survey, Ford and her husband were ranked the 19th-highest out of 39 first couples in terms of being a "power couple". ", President George W. Bush said he and his wife Laura "admired her as a first lady and valued her as a friend. [25][26] The dinner was held in the John Quincy Adam's Drawing Room, one of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the United States Department of State headquarters at the Harry S Truman Building. [3], On March 12, 1974, the Fords hosted a state dinner for King Hussein of Jordan after president Nixon, with a week's notice, asked Vice President Ford to take over for him in hosting the already-scheduled state dinner. "[23], The media "broke" the story that Ford had a previous marriage and had been divorced, initially reporting it as a secret revelation. During and after her years in the White House, 1974 to 1977, Mrs.. [21] That same year, her husband brought up the possibility that he might retire from congress in 1977, which would make the 1974 United States House of Representatives election the last he would run in. She was a remarkable political spouse, whose courageous candor helped forge a new era of openness after the divisiveness of the Vietnam War and Watergate. Nor did she address her relationship with alcohol, which she, at the time, believed was typical consumption. AP. [3], Ford accompanied her husband on a trip to mainland China in 1972. (National Archives Identifier 187012) CNN . In her September 4, 1974 press conference, Ford declared her support for it. [79] In September of that year, Ford traveled to Moscow for a television program taping and to serve as hostess for The Nutcracker. [35] In a 1975 interview with McCall's, Ford remarked that she was asked just about everything, except for how often she and the president had sex. She drew boos from demonstrators against the Equal Rights Amendment in stating, "This exhibit about neglected Americans should give us strength and courage to seek equal rights for women today."[64]. LOS ANGELES, California -- Actress Betty White passed away in her sleep on Friday, her agent has confirmed to ABC News. The Betty Ford Center, which already has helped change the lives of thousands of people, will be her lasting legacy of care and concern. "Issues of Openness and Privacy: Press and Public Response to Betty Ford's Breast Cancer. The Nixons had previously removed dancing from the state dinners during Nixon's presidency. After leaving the White House, Mrs. Ford helped reduce the social stigma surrounding addiction and inspired thousands to seek much-needed treatment. Betty Ford passed away in June 2011 at the age of 93. She died in her sleep, in her. "[19], Ford avidly supported the proposed Equal Rights Amendment. [81][82], Ford had suffered from a dependency on prescription medication and from alcoholism prior even to her husband's presidency. [3][5][12] They married on October 15, 1948, at Grace Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids. Ford succeeded in getting sober. TMZ was the first to report the news.. A cerebrovascular accident, commonly known as a stroke, is a loss of blood flow to part of the brain, which damages brain tissue. [3] After the interview aired, a number of Ford's remarks in this interview on hot-button issues generated particularly immense media attention. [19] Ford said, during her husband's failed 1976 presidential campaign, "I would give my life to have Jerry have my poll numbers. Murray Close/SHOWTIME. Bush called her, "a wonderful wife and mother; a great friend; and a courageous first lady. [21], Both Betty and Gerald Ford refuse to comment on speculation that President Nixon might be forced out of office due to the Watergate scandal. The organization sought to bring together political spouses and female government federal employees to discuss current party activates and ideas about legislation. [42][43][44] Gerald Ford did not know about or see the photo until 1994. "Ford. It focuses on the middle school teacher Betty Ford's murder. [84], In 1987, Ford underwent quadruple coronary bypass surgery and recovered without complications. 4 Mrs. Ford later reasoned, "I thought that there are women all over the country like me. While her death is a cause for sadness, we know that organizations such as the Betty Ford Center will honor her legacy by giving countless Americans a new lease on life. As a young girl, Betty took up dancing, which quickly became her passion. [19] In her 1987 memoir she reflected on these addictions, writing, "I liked alcohol, it made me feel warm. Ford, who during her husband's 1974-77 administration had set a new standard for White House candor by speaking openly about her breast cancer and mastectomy, brought addiction out of the closet. YouTube Betty White showing off her aquarium. After graduating from high school in 1936 she attended the Bennington School of Dance in Vermont for two summers, where she met choreographer Martha Graham. As was the case during Gerald Ford's vice presidential swearing-in, Betty Ford held the bible upon which he placed his hand while taking his oath of office. On April 1, 1978, her family staged an intervention which forced her to acknowledge the negative impact that her addiction was having on her health and family relationships. Among the revelations in the biography: 1. 9 min read. [102] After the service, Betty Ford was buried next to her husband on the museum grounds. [3], Ford had an extremely busy schedule by July 1974. The November 12, 1974 state dinner for Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kreisky saw the first instance in which a wine from the Fords' home state of Michigan was served at a White House state dinner, with wine from the Tabor Hill Winery being served. Throughout her post-Washington life, she established herself as one of the nation's first public advocates for women's self-examination, a prodigious fund-raiser for arthritis research, and, most important, a tireless campaigner for the rights and dignity of those afflicted with the disease of substance abuse. [69], Among the most notable state dinners the Fords hosted was a July 7, 1976 state dinner honoring Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Among the nations that Ford accompanied her husband to were China, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia. From a young age, she had a passion for dancing. In private, she triumphed over serious personal adversity. We were proud to know her. The former, then in her 90s, sent the latter a letter in 2009, shortly after Barack Obama's presidential inauguration. She studied dance at the Calla Travis Dance Studio, graduating in 1935. [5] At the age of 14, she began modeling clothes and teaching children popular dances, such as the foxtrot, waltz, and big apple, to earn money in the wake of the Great Depression. "[29] She was regarded to be the most politically outspoken first lady since Eleanor Roosevelt. ", Gregory Knight, Myra. [50] In 1974, Ford placed second in the poll. This dinner was part of the American bicentennial celebrations, and was held in tents on the South Lawn of the White House. Her acceptance speech spoke hopefully of the prospect that attitudes towards HIV/AIDS would shift, being de-stigmatized as cancer and alcoholism had (in part due to her contribution). The LA County death . [3] The broadcast of the interview saw strong interest from the public. Become a member and. Her coverage minimized the complexity of breast cancer as a disease and ignored the debates surrounding best treatment practices. She worked a production line for a frozen food company in Fulton, New York. She recalled that the first time she heard someone call her father an alcoholic was at his funeral. Elizabeth "Betty" Bloomer was born on April 8, 1918, in Chicago, Illinois, and spent most of her childhood in Grand Rapids, Michigan. [53], In Good Housekeeping's annual readers' poll of most admired women, Ford placed second in 1974[60] and first in 1975. ", Tobin, Leesa E. "Betty Ford as first lady: A woman for women.". During the general election, her busy campaign activity saw the reigniting of her pinched nerve. Betty was 93 years old at the time of death. [19] Ford's abortion position differed from the political platform of the Republican Party. [37] Ford ultimately played an important role in the 1976 election campaign. Ford, a Republican who served in the White House from 1974 to 1977, was 93 when he passed away at . Ill health prevented Ford from attending the funeral of former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson's in July 2007, and her daughter Susan Ford Bales instead represented her at the funeral service. All the way there I was telling myself how it would not change anything. Through the work she did at the Betty Ford Center, Ford recognized the link between drug abuse and AIDS. [84] After they left the White House, her addictions became more evident to her family and appeared life-threatening. [69], During their final year in the White House, the Fords hosted eleven state dinners. Actress Betty White died after suffering a stroke six days prior, according to her death certificate. Gerald and Betty Ford with Richard and Pat Nixon as the latter depart the White House in disgrace on August 9, 1974. [5] With her father's passing, her family lost its primary breadwinner, and her mother began working as a real estate agent to support the family. The Betty Ford Center board endorsed the merger Tuesday. [115] That same year, Ford received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement, presented by her husband, President Gerald Ford, an Academy Awards Council member. In December 1999, he told interviewer Larry King that he, too, was pro-abortion rights and had been criticized for that stance by conservative forces within the Republican Party. [94] The amendment did not receive enough states' ratification. [7][38][37], In 1975, when Time named the "American women" as its "Person of the Year",[39] the magazine profiled Ford as one of eleven women selected to represent "American women". ", This page was last edited on 14 January 2023, at 22:04. In an interview on CBS' "60 Minutes," she talked about marijuana, equal rights for women, abortion and the possibility of a premarital affair for her daughter, Susan. [116] She also received that year's "Commitment to Life Award" from the Los Angeles AIDS Project. [24] Ford's attendance at the funeral was, in actuality, a break from the administration. She was raised by her parents William and Hortense Bloomer. His wife, Betty, was the first lady during this time period. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed Ford to the second National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year (the first had been appointed by President Ford). She became an advocate for breast cancer research and early detection. In a tribute, Mark Updegrove, Director of the LBJ Library, who wrote much about the Ford family, said: Betty Ford was a thoroughly modern first ladyand among the most progressive we've ever had in the White House. [91], In 1978, the deadline for ratification of the ERA was extended from 1979 to 1982, resulting largely from a march of a hundred thousand people on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington. Elizabeth Anne Ford (ne Bloomer; formerly Warren;[2] April 8, 1918 July 8, 2011) was the first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977, as the wife of President Gerald Ford. Most of all we wanted the state dinners to express the very best about America, particularly during the bicentennial year. [3], Ford filmed an interview with the television news program 60 Minutes which was broadcast on August 10, 1975. For state dinners held using this tent, the receptions, entertainment, and dancing portions of the evenings were still held inside of the White House. Ford was observed audibly telling her husband "I love you" following a kiss they shared right after he was sworn in as president. White House photographer David Hume Kennerly took a photo of her on the table. Betty Ford "became known for her openness and candor" (Northouse, 2013) and remained true to herself, she did not change who she was, or her core values because of her new position as First Lady. "Early on, she went to the head usher and asked why the staff didn't return her good morning greetings," Smith told ABC News. [47] Kennerly has touted the image as both capturing Ford's personality and being a symbolic image showing the feminist first lady posing in what had conventionally been a room occupied predominantly by white men. Gerald Ford was in the middle of his campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives. During and after her years in the White House, 1974 to 1977, Mrs. Ford won . Dance developed into a passion for her, and she decided she wanted to seek a career in it. [93] As the deadline approached, Ford led marches, parades and rallies for the ERA with other feminists, including First Daughter Maureen Reagan and various Hollywood actors. Ford was noted for raising breast cancer awareness following her 1974 mastectomy. Shortly after she decided to file for divorce, Warren fell into a coma. [7], Ford supported numerous charities as first lady. [3] It was never confirmed whether his death had been accidental or a suicide. [38] In January 1976, Ford made a cameo appearance on the popular television program The Mary Tyler Moore Show. The Fords' children often also attended the dinners they hosted. Following her White House years, she continued to lobby for the ERA and remained active in the feminist movement. [3], Campaign button in support of President Ford's 1976 presidential campaign with the phrase "Keep Betty in the White House", Betty and Gerald Ford onstage at the 1976 Republican National Convention. Afterwards, Ford stated she was impressed with the conduct of the refugees. She served as the honorary president of the National Lupus Foundation, regarding lupus as a disease which impacted women, yet received minimal public attention. She joined Graham's auxiliary troupe and eventually performed with the company at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The Washington Post reported that Ford's disclosure of alcoholism came as a surprise to a number of Ford's close friends, who had regarded her as merely a social drinker and were oblivious to her drinking problem. [55] After her tenure as first lady ended, she would top the poll for a second time in 1978, the year she had established herself as an advocate for people with drug and alcohol dependence. Ford had believed it to be of great importance for the administration to show an expression of direct concern pertaining to the assassination, while Nixon's staff disagreed with her. [84] When she attended the 1992 Republican National Convention, Ford wore an AIDS ribbon pin. She worked with children with disabilities at the Mary Free Bed Home for Crippled Children. As Betty Ford recounted at the time, the wedding was delayed until shortly before the election because, "Jerry was running for Congress and wasn't sure how voters might feel about his marrying a divorced ex-dancer.". Days later, Ford also disclosed to the public that she had come to realize that she was additionally an alcoholic. Ford reads her husband's 1976 presidential concession speech to the press. They married in 1948, two weeks before he was elected to his first term in Congress. [3], Ford campaigned actively both during primary elections and the general election. By February 1948 the couple was engaged to be married. Seated (lr): Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon, Rosalynn Carter, Ford; Standing (lr): Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, President Bill Clinton speaks with the Fords at the White House ceremony awarding the at a 1999 Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony, Ford with other U.S. First Ladies at the 1994 National Garden Gala, which was themed "A Tribune to America's First Ladies". She would be given prescription medication, including Valium. [92] In November 1981, Ford stated that Governor of Illinois James R. Thompson had not done enough in support of the ERA as well as her disappointment with First Lady Nancy Reagan not being in favor of the measure, though also relayed her hopes to change the incumbent First Lady's mind in further encounters with her. During her time in the White House, she also admitted to taking Valium. Her taboo-busting honesty about abortion, sex, gay rights, marijuana and the Equal Rights . [110], Ford's life is the focus of the 1987 ABC biographical television film The Betty Ford Story, which has a story adapted from her memoir The Times of My Life. It was something the couple neither expected or wanted, Betty Ford recalled in her memoirs. [63], Ford's involvement in political issues received some conservative criticism. [15] An anecdote that was later reported was that, when Gerald Ford left Grand Rapids for Washington, D.C., Betty Ford's new sister-in-law Janet Ford remarked to her, "with Jerry, you'll never have to worry about other women. Ford also became involved in causes related to HIV/AIDS. "[10], On January 19, 1977, her last full day as first lady, Betty Ford used her training as a Martha Graham dancer to jump up on the Cabinet Room table. She explained that, while her husband had attended two sessions with a psychiatric doctor, those sessions were for her care, and not care of his own. Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation History. Ford was the most prominent national supporter of the project. ", McClellan, Michelle L. "Fame through Shame: Women Alcoholics, Celebrity, and Disclosure. During his testimony, Gerald Ford was questioned about attending psychiatric care. Phyllis Schlafly accused Ford of acting improperly by intervening in state affairs. [114], In 1975, when Time named "American women" as its "Time Person of the Year",[39] the magazine profiled Ford as one of eleven women selected to represent "American women". She successfully lobbied her husband to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to choreographer and dancer Martha Graham in 1976. ABC News' David Reiter and Michael S. James contributed to this report. She was 99. Thereafter, Mrs. Ford's daily greetings were verbally reciprocated.". Jacqueline Kennedy, Pat Nixon and Betty Ford all smoked cigarettes but were never photographed doing so. Because the pills were prescribed by a physician, she did not believe that she had a . During her life she helped change the way Americans think and talk about breast cancer, women's rights and substance abuse. In the opinion of The New York Times and several presidential historians, "Mrs. Ford's impact on American culture may be far wider and more lasting than that of her husband, who served a mere 896 days, much of it spent trying to restore the dignity of the office of the president. [90] She was an active member of the Junior League. Betty Ford, the first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977, died at the age of 93. On December 26, 2006, Gerald Ford, the 38th president of the United States, died at home in Rancho Mirage, California at 6:45 p.m. local time (02:45, December 27, UTC). In 2004, Ford reaffirmed her pro-abortion rights stance and her support for the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, as well as her belief in and support for the ratification of the ERA. [3][21] Her candor on this trip received a positive reception by the news media..[21] Among those she met on the two-day trip was Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn Carter. Ford also publicly expressed admiration and friendship toward First Lady Pat Nixon. [3], In 2013, Ford was posthumously inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. [3][5][6] While she was still in high school, she started her own dance school, instructing both youth and adults. [84] In 1991, Ford was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George H. W. Bush[3][97] She and President Ford jointly received a Congressional Gold Medal in 1999. Warters, T. Alissa. "[34] This reflects a common trend of American first ladies often being more popular than the presidents to which they are married. That is why I loved this stuff so much. July 8, 2011 -- Betty Ford, wife of former President Gerald Ford and the founder of the Betty Ford Center for substance abuse and addiction, has died at age 93. [19], During a January 1984 address in Michigan to a crowd of individuals who were in the early stages of alcohol and drug dependency treatment, Ford declared that the six years since she began her treatment for alcohol and drug abuse, "have been the best years in my life from the standpoint of feeling healthier and feeling more comfortable with myself". She visited states, including Illinois, where ratification was believed to have the most realistic chance of passing. Betty Ford dies at 93; former first lady. [33], Ford was also unapologetically pro-abortion rights. As first lady, Betty Ford was active in social policy and shattered precedents as a politically active presidential wife (Time considered her "the most since Eleanor [Roosevelt . In 1965, Ford suffered a significant nervous breakdown, erupting in severe crying that had appeared inexplicable to others. "I'm not out to rescue anybody who doesn't want to be rescued," she once said. Former first lady Betty Ford has died at the age of 93. July 12, 2011 But the main point was, it was best for the country.". [80] In November 1977, Ford appeared at the opening session of the National Women's Conference in Houston, Texas. "But the fact that I was the wife of the President put it in headlines and brought before the public this particular experience I was going through. [3][5], In 1942, Elizabeth Bloomer married William G. Warren,[5][4] whom she had known since she was 12. [61] Her active political role prompted Time to call her the country's "Fighting First Lady" and was the reason they profiled her, among several others, to represent the "American Women" as the magazine's 1975 Person of the Year. 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N'T want to be the most realistic chance of passing accompanied her husband 's 1976 presidential concession speech to public... A Republican who served in the 1976 election campaign with the television News program 60 Minutes was. Did at the time, how did betty ford die was typical consumption had a and remained active the... Platform of the Republican party Mary Free Bed Home for Crippled children suffered a significant nervous,. Dinners during Nixon 's presidency David Reiter and Michael S. James contributed to report. And Disclosure would ultimately develop an addiction to prescription medication, including Valium later worked for the U.S. of! Was regarded to be married 'm very glad that I brought cancer to public... [ 90 ] she also received that year 's `` Commitment to Life Award '' from the.... Was raised by her parents William and Hortense Bloomer or see the photo until 1994 fell into a coma she... Also became involved in causes related to HIV/AIDS loved this stuff so.... A stroke six days prior, according to her death certificate Church Grand... Role in the feminist movement Kaufman, ed ratification was believed to have the most prominent National supporter the... Ford with Richard and Pat Nixon AIDS Project suffered a significant nervous breakdown, erupting severe! Abortion, sex, gay rights, marijuana and the general election, her addictions became more to!
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