Betty Ford: An American original

Betty Ford at age 14. 1932

Betty Ford (front left) in a Bennington College Summer School of Dance class. Bennington, Vermont. 1937.

Gerald and Betty Ford at unknown location. 1948

Betty and (now Congressman) Jerry Ford with their son Michael at their Alexandria, Virginia apartment. 1952.

Attending a Grand Rapids campaign event with presidential candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife Mamie. October 1, 1952.

White House reception. April 18, 1961.

Deep-sea fishing during a vacation trip to Free Town, Eleutheria, Bahamas, with other Republican Congressmen and their wives. April 1966.

President and Mrs. Richard Nixon with Gerald and Betty Ford in the Blue Room of the White House following Congressman Ford's nomination to succeed Spiro T. Agnew as Vice President. October 12, 1973.

First Lady Betty Ford speaks at a candidate's luncheon, sponsored by Republican Women Power of Illinois, at the Conrad Hilton Hotel in Chicago, September 24, 1974.

Gerald Ford takes the oath of office as Vice President, in a ceremony administered by Chief Justice Warren Burger. December 6, 1973.

Betty Ford hosts her first press conference as First Lady in the White House State Dining Room. September 4, 1974.

First Lady Betty Ford sports a button supporting ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. Feb. 26, 1975

Betty Ford, was chairman and co-founder of the Betty Ford Center from 1982 until 2004, when she became Chairman Emeritus and her daughter Susan Ford Bales assumed the Chairman position

With her four children behind her Mrs. Ford pauses at the casket of her husband during the state funeral events for President Ford. Jan. 1 2007.