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Betty Ford
Today, Michelle Obama and other three former first ladies went to California to pay their respects to former first lady, Betty Ford.
The funeral of Betty Ford was focused on the former first lady’s passion: her famous Betty Ford Center founded for alcohol treatment and substance abuse. Betty Ford passed away Friday at the age of 93. Before dying she mapped out all the plans regarding Tuesday’s ceremony and even established who will be the persons who will deliver her eulogies.
Betty Ford chose the former first lady Rosalynn Carter and journalist Cokie Roberts to speak at the ceremony along with a former director of her Center. At the ceremony are expected to attend current first lady Michelle Obama, former first lady Nancy Reagan, Maria Shriver, former first lady of California and Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State. Unfortunately, former president Bill Clinton canceled its arrival because of some mechanical problems his plane had to face.
Former president George W. Bush announced that he will attend the California service and he will convey condolences from his wife, Laura who can’t be part of the ceremony.
A second funeral will be organized on Thursday in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This is the place where former president Gerald Ford is buried, more specifically his presidential museum. Former first lady Barbara Bush will also attend the ceremony.
Cokie Roberts said that Betty Ford asked her five years ago to speak at her funeral and that she wanted a eulogy about “the power of friendship to mend political differences even in these hyper-partisan times”. The journalist also said that Betty asked her to also talk about “a time in Washington when Democrats and Republicans could be friends”.
Roberts added that she thinks that Rosalynn Carter will talk “about life in the White House” and how important is the role played by a first lady in “greasing the wheels” for her husband’s success.
Geoffrey Mason, former director of the Betty Ford Center, will also speak at the ceremony probably about Ford’s vision that determined her to open a substance abuse and alcohol treatment center.
This ceremony organized at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Palm Desert is considered to be a private event, but it will be broadcasted live. After the funeral, all the public persons that will attend the event will be asked to sign a guest book. Wednesday, the body of Betty Ford will be transported to Grand Rapids where it will be buried on Thursday at the presidential museum. She will reunite with her husband exactly on the day when Gerald Ford would be celebrating his 98th anniversary. Quite romantic to be reunited in death, isn’t it?
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