Mays Family Tree - Person Sheet
NameElizabeth “Betty” Ann BLOOMER 
4119
4119Birth Date8 Apr 1918
Birth PlaceChicago, Cook Co., IL, USA
Death Date8 Jul 2011 Age: 93
Death PlaceRancho Mirage, Riverside Co., CA, USA
Death MemoEisenhower Medical Center
Burial Date14 Jul 2011
Burial PlaceGerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids, Kent Co., MI, USA
OccupationFirst Lady of the United States; Founder of the Betty Ford Center
ReligionEpiscopalian
FatherWilliam Stephenson BLOOMER Sr. (1874-1934)
MotherHortense NEAHR (1884-1948)
Misc. Notes
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."
The [Times] went on to describe her as "a product and symbol of the cultural and political times—doing the Bump along the corridors of the White House, donning a mood ring, chatting on her CB radio with the handle First Mama, a housewife who argued passionately for equal rights for women, a mother of four who mused about drugs, abortion and premarital sex aloud and without regret.”
_________________________________________________________________
A department store fashion consultant when she married Gerald Ford, Betty had been a John Robert Powers fashion model and a dancer in the auxiliary troupe of the Martha Graham Dance Company. She had previously been married and divorced.4113
The [Times] went on to describe her as "a product and symbol of the cultural and political times—doing the Bump along the corridors of the White House, donning a mood ring, chatting on her CB radio with the handle First Mama, a housewife who argued passionately for equal rights for women, a mother of four who mused about drugs, abortion and premarital sex aloud and without regret.”
_________________________________________________________________
A department store fashion consultant when she married Gerald Ford, Betty had been a John Robert Powers fashion model and a dancer in the auxiliary troupe of the Martha Graham Dance Company. She had previously been married and divorced.4113
Spouses
Birth Date14 Jul 1913
Birth PlaceOmaha, Douglas Co., NE, USA
Birth Memoin his grandfather's mansion at 3202 Woolworth Ave (see notes)
Death Date26 Dec 2006 Age: 93
Death PlaceRancho Mirage, Riverside Co., CA, USA
Burial Date3 Jan 20074118
Burial PlaceGerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids, Kent Co., MI, USA
EducationUniversity of Michigan, B.A., 1935; Yale University School of Law, LL.B., 1941
OccupationLawyer, Politician
ReligionEpiscopalian
FatherLeslie Lynch KING Sr. (1884-1941)
MotherDorothy Ayer GARDNER (1892-1967)
Misc. Notes
The 38th President of the United States (1974-1977), Republican Gerald R. Ford was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr. the son of Leslie Lynch King and Dorothy Ayer Gardner King, on July 14, 1913, in Omaha, NE. His parents separated two weeks after his birth and his mother moved with him to Grand Rapids, Michigan to live with her parents. On February 1, 1916, approximately two years after her divorce, Dorothy King married Gerald R. Ford, a Grand Rapids businessman.
The future president grew up in a close-knit family that included three younger [half] brothers, Thomas, Richard, and James. Mr Ford attended South high School in Grand Rapids, where he excelled scholastically and athletically. He was named to the honor society and both the “All-City” and “All-State” football teams. To earn spending money he worked for the family paint business and at a local restaurant. He was also active in Scouting, and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in November 1927. He is the only U.S. President or Vice President who was an Eagle Scout.
United States House of Representatives, 1949-1973
Vice President of the United States, 1973-1974
President of the United States, 1974-19774120
_________________
The future president was born in his grandfather's mansion at 3202 Woolworth Ave., across from Hanscom Park southwest of downtown Omaha. He was born into a turbulent relationship between a spoiled father, Leslie Lynch King, Sr., and a frightened young mother, Dorothy Ayer Gardner King. He was named after his father, as Leslie Lynch King, Jr.
Ford was born into a world of luxury. His grandfather, Charles King, was a prominent Omaha wool merchant worth millions.4121
_________________
Gerald Ford’s mother Dorothy separated from Leslie King Sr. just sixteen days after Gerald's birth. She took her son with her to the Oak Park, Illinois home of her sister Tannisse and her husband, Clarence Haskins James. From there she moved to the home of her parents, Levi Addison Gardner and his wife, the former Adele Augusta Ayer, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dorothy and Leslie King divorced in December 1913; she gained full custody of their son. Ford's paternal grandfather Charles Henry King paid child support until shortly before his death in 1930.
After two and a half years with her parents, on February 1, 1916 Dorothy King married Gerald Rudolff Ford, a salesman in a family owned paint and varnish company. They then called her son Gerald Rudolff Ford, Jr. The future president was never formally adopted, however, and he did not legally change his name until December 3, 1935; he also used a more conventional spelling of his middle name. He was raised in Grand Rapids with his three half-brothers by his mother's second marriage: Thomas Gardner Ford (1918–1995), Richard Addison Ford (born 1924), and James Francis Ford (1927–2001).
Ford also had three half-siblings from his father's second marriage: Marjorie King (1921–1993), Leslie Henry King (1923–1976), and Patricia Jane King (born 1925). They never saw each other as children and he did not know them at all. Ford was not aware of his biological father until he was 17, when his parents told him about the circumstances of his birth. That year his father Leslie King, whom Ford described as a "carefree, well-to-do man," approached Ford while he was waiting tables in a Grand Rapids restaurant. The two "maintained a sporadic contact" until Leslie King, Sr.'s death.
Ford maintained his distance emotionally, saying, "My stepfather was a magnificent person and my mother equally wonderful. So I couldn't have written a better prescription for a superb family upbringing."
Ford spent thirteen terms as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and was the only President and Vice President of the United States who was never elected.
Following his years as president, Ford remained active in the Republican Party. After experiencing health problems and being admitted to the hospital four times in 2006, Ford died in his home on December 26, 2006. He lived longer than any other U.S. president, dying at the age of 93 years and 165 days.4113
___________________
President Ford's wife of 58 years, Betty Ford issued a statement confirming his death: "My family joins me in sharing the difficult news that Gerald Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather has died at 93 years of age. His life was filled with love of God, his family and his country."4118
____________________
President Ford, was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.3126
[See the notes for his grandmother Adele Augusta Ayer Gardner’s regarding her family origins.]
QUOTES OF GERALD FORD
"One of the proudest moments of my life came in the Court of Honor when I was awarded the Eagle Scout badge. I still have that badge. It is a treasured possession. I am the first Eagle Scout Vice President. The three great principles which Scouting provides—self-discipline, teamwork, and moral and patriotic values—are the basic building blocks of leadership. I applaud the Scouting program for continuing to emphasize them. I am confident that your ability to bring ideals, values, and leadership training to millions of our young people will help to bring about a new era—a time in which not only our Republic will progress in peace and freedom, but a time in which the entire world shall be secure, and all its people free." ~~ Gerald Ford as Vice President
"I have not sought this enormous responsibility, but I will not shirk it . . . I believe that truth is the glue that holds government together, not only our Government, but civilization itself. That bond, though strained, is unbroken at home and abroad. In all my public and private acts as your President, I expect to follow my instincts of openness and candor with full confidence that honesty is always the best policy in the end. My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works; our great Republic is a Government of laws and not of men. Here the people rule.” ~~ Remarks upon being sworn in as President, August 9, 19744122
The future president grew up in a close-knit family that included three younger [half] brothers, Thomas, Richard, and James. Mr Ford attended South high School in Grand Rapids, where he excelled scholastically and athletically. He was named to the honor society and both the “All-City” and “All-State” football teams. To earn spending money he worked for the family paint business and at a local restaurant. He was also active in Scouting, and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in November 1927. He is the only U.S. President or Vice President who was an Eagle Scout.
United States House of Representatives, 1949-1973
Vice President of the United States, 1973-1974
President of the United States, 1974-19774120
_________________
The future president was born in his grandfather's mansion at 3202 Woolworth Ave., across from Hanscom Park southwest of downtown Omaha. He was born into a turbulent relationship between a spoiled father, Leslie Lynch King, Sr., and a frightened young mother, Dorothy Ayer Gardner King. He was named after his father, as Leslie Lynch King, Jr.
Ford was born into a world of luxury. His grandfather, Charles King, was a prominent Omaha wool merchant worth millions.4121
_________________
Gerald Ford’s mother Dorothy separated from Leslie King Sr. just sixteen days after Gerald's birth. She took her son with her to the Oak Park, Illinois home of her sister Tannisse and her husband, Clarence Haskins James. From there she moved to the home of her parents, Levi Addison Gardner and his wife, the former Adele Augusta Ayer, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dorothy and Leslie King divorced in December 1913; she gained full custody of their son. Ford's paternal grandfather Charles Henry King paid child support until shortly before his death in 1930.
After two and a half years with her parents, on February 1, 1916 Dorothy King married Gerald Rudolff Ford, a salesman in a family owned paint and varnish company. They then called her son Gerald Rudolff Ford, Jr. The future president was never formally adopted, however, and he did not legally change his name until December 3, 1935; he also used a more conventional spelling of his middle name. He was raised in Grand Rapids with his three half-brothers by his mother's second marriage: Thomas Gardner Ford (1918–1995), Richard Addison Ford (born 1924), and James Francis Ford (1927–2001).
Ford also had three half-siblings from his father's second marriage: Marjorie King (1921–1993), Leslie Henry King (1923–1976), and Patricia Jane King (born 1925). They never saw each other as children and he did not know them at all. Ford was not aware of his biological father until he was 17, when his parents told him about the circumstances of his birth. That year his father Leslie King, whom Ford described as a "carefree, well-to-do man," approached Ford while he was waiting tables in a Grand Rapids restaurant. The two "maintained a sporadic contact" until Leslie King, Sr.'s death.
Ford maintained his distance emotionally, saying, "My stepfather was a magnificent person and my mother equally wonderful. So I couldn't have written a better prescription for a superb family upbringing."
Ford spent thirteen terms as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and was the only President and Vice President of the United States who was never elected.
Following his years as president, Ford remained active in the Republican Party. After experiencing health problems and being admitted to the hospital four times in 2006, Ford died in his home on December 26, 2006. He lived longer than any other U.S. president, dying at the age of 93 years and 165 days.4113
___________________
President Ford's wife of 58 years, Betty Ford issued a statement confirming his death: "My family joins me in sharing the difficult news that Gerald Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather has died at 93 years of age. His life was filled with love of God, his family and his country."4118
____________________
President Ford, was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.3126
[See the notes for his grandmother Adele Augusta Ayer Gardner’s regarding her family origins.]
QUOTES OF GERALD FORD
"One of the proudest moments of my life came in the Court of Honor when I was awarded the Eagle Scout badge. I still have that badge. It is a treasured possession. I am the first Eagle Scout Vice President. The three great principles which Scouting provides—self-discipline, teamwork, and moral and patriotic values—are the basic building blocks of leadership. I applaud the Scouting program for continuing to emphasize them. I am confident that your ability to bring ideals, values, and leadership training to millions of our young people will help to bring about a new era—a time in which not only our Republic will progress in peace and freedom, but a time in which the entire world shall be secure, and all its people free." ~~ Gerald Ford as Vice President
"I have not sought this enormous responsibility, but I will not shirk it . . . I believe that truth is the glue that holds government together, not only our Government, but civilization itself. That bond, though strained, is unbroken at home and abroad. In all my public and private acts as your President, I expect to follow my instincts of openness and candor with full confidence that honesty is always the best policy in the end. My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works; our great Republic is a Government of laws and not of men. Here the people rule.” ~~ Remarks upon being sworn in as President, August 9, 19744122
Family ID6904
Marr Date15 Oct 19484113
Marr PlaceGrace Episcopal Church, Grand Rapids, Kent Co., MI, USA
ChildrenMichael Gerald (1950-)
John “Jack” Gardner (1952-)
Steven Meigs (1956-)
Susan Elizabeth (1957-)
OccupationFurniture Salesman
Misc. Notes