I was in Washington DC on business at the end of December 2006. President Gerald Ford had just passed away and the his body was lying in state at the U.S. Capitol Building. Joseph and I decided to be part of that historical funeral and during the early evening hours, we joined thousands of others lining up to pay their respects. We watched as the funeral procession reach the Capitol. As the pall bearers carried the casket up the Capitol steps, I thought about the family’s sadness, especially that of his spouse of fifty-eight years.
As the casket was being readied inside the Capitol, we waited in long, long lines. I was happy that the weather was unusually mild for a December day because Joseph and I waited for hours. While we did, we talked with others. Some had traveled a distance to be in the line. I was surprised at how many were there because of Betty Ford. Until then, all I really knew about Mrs. Ford was that she’d survived breast cancer and then had an addiction problem and then started a clinic that serviced all the celebrities. I thought those two victories were plenty…but there was so much more.
When I returned home, I did some research. I was fascinated by Mrs. Ford’s early life and how she handled the first confusing days of the Ford presidency. The more I researched, the more I thought Betty Ford really embodied everything Victorious Woman. That’s when I decided to start honoring a different Victorious Woman each month – and Betty Ford was the first.
Attached is the Victorious Woman article I wrote in January 2007. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy sharing it with you. Betty Ford – Victorous Woman January 2007
