Martha Washington
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Betty grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

She took ballet lessons as a young girl and dreamed of being a professional dancer. In high school, she studied dance at the Calla Travis Dance Studio.

Betty's father died when she was sixteen. Betty helped out the family by earning money as a model and teaching dance.

She went to the Bennington School of Dance in Vermont and later studied with dancer Martha Graham.

She then returned to Grand Rapids and taught modern dance and used dance as therapy with handicapped children.

In 1942, she married Bill Warren. They were divorced five years later in 1947.

Later that year she met Gerald Ford a former University of Michigan football player. Jerry was a lawyer in Grand Rapids.

In less than a year they were married on October 15, 1948 and she started working on his first campaign for Congress.

They moved to Washington D.C. after his election.

They had four children, Michael, John, Steven, and Susan.

She was in constant pain from arthritis and a pinched nerve. She became dependent on pain-killing drugs.

Shortly after Nixon appointed Ford as his Vice President, the Watergate Scandal forced President Nixon to resign.

Betty Ford held the Bible when her husband was sworn in as President of the United States.

She supported the Equal Rights Amendment and urged her husband to appoint women to his cabinet.

Betty talked openly of her fight with breast cancer and her mastectomy. This encouraged many women in their struggle with breast cancer.

She campaigned hard for her husband's re-election. Some supporters wore buttons that read: Betty's Husband for President."

Betty was depressed when Jerry lost the electoin and became dependent on painkillers, tranquilizers and alcohol.

After she recovered she spoke openly about her addiction and urged others to get treatment. She help found the Betty Ford Center for Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation.

In 1987, she published a book about her experiences, Betty: A Glad Awakening.

Her husband President Gerald Ford died on December 26, 2006.