Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. (b. 1913) — also known as
Gerald R. Ford;
Jerry Ford;
Leslie Lynch King, Jr.;
"Passkey" — of Grand Rapids,
Kent County, Mich. Born in Omaha,
Douglas County, Neb.,
July 14, 1913. Married,
October 15, 1948, to Elizabeth Bloomer "Betty" Warren; half-brother of
Thomas G. Ford, Sr.. Republican.
Lawyer; served in the U.S. Navy during World War II; delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan,
1948,
1960,
1964;
U.S. Representative from Michigan 5th District, 1949-73; resigned 1973;
Vice President of the United States, 1973-74;
President of the United States, 1974-77; defeated, 1976.
Episcopalian. Member,
Humane Society;
American Legion;
Amvets;
Forty and Eight;
Veterans of Foreign Wars;
Freemasons;
Shriners;
Jaycees;
Delta Kappa Epsilon;
Phi Delta Phi.
Shot at in two separate incidents in San Francisco in September 1975. On September 5, Lynette 'Squeaky' Fromme, follower of murderous cult leader Charles Manson, got close to the President with a loaded pistol, and squeezed the trigger at close range; the gun misfired. On September 22, Sara Jane Moore
fired a shot at him, but a bystander deflected her aim. Both women were convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Received the
Medal of Freedom in 1999.