The Modern Lady -- Betty Ford

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“The Modern Lady” Brief Bio Elizabeth Ann Bloomer was born on April 8, 1918, in Chicago Illinois. She was the third child and only daughter of William and Horense Bloomer. From an early age Elizabeth “Betty” had a passion for dancing, so much so that at the age of 15, she was teaching children dances such as the Foxtrot, the Waltz, and the Big Apple. In addition to this, teaching she often entertained and worked with children with disabilities at the Mary Free Bed Home for Crippled Children. It wasn’t until 1942 that Betty married her first husband William C. Warren an insurance sales man. Unfortunately, due to Warren being an alcoholic, the marriage didn’t last and five years later, on September 22, 1947, Betty filed for divorce on the grounds of “excessive and repeated cruelty.” It wasn’t until a year later that Betty remarried on October 15, 1948 to her husband of fifty-eight years, Gerald Ford. Elizabeth Ann Bloomer Ford died on July 8, 2011, five years after her husband Gerald passed. Life as First Lady Betty helped to transform the First Lady position into what it is today, and because of that, she is often times referred to as the First Modern First Lady. Ironically, unlike today’s first ladies, Betty was “thrust into the role of First Lady with no time for planning any goals or agenda.” In addition to the lack of agenda, Betty was extremely personable and candid with reporters and members of the media and always made sure that she spoke what was on her mind. Examples of this can be seen in her open discussion about the benefits of psychiatric treatment, marijuana use, and premarital sex. While these are regular topics of today, during the 1970’s, they were not only topics that were almost taboo, but they were topics that women didn’t openly discuss. Even though some people did view her honest attitude as refreshing, many conservatives felt that

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