Former United States President Gerald Ford may have a complicated legacy in American history, due to the circumstances under which he assumed office, his presidential pardon for the disgraced Richard Nixon, plus his foreign and economic policies.
However, over time, opinions on his presidency have become kinder, particularly his moderate views on social issues as a member of the Republican party, contrasting widely with the black and white dichotomy of the country's current administration.
In particular, his wife Betty Ford's legacy as a tireless advocate for women's rights, bodily autonomy and addiction awareness also positively highlight his administration, work that has carried on into the present day thanks to their children.
In honor of Ford's birthday on July 14, here's all you need to know about their four children, and how their own lives evolved beyond the White House…
© Getty ImagesMichael Gerald Ford, 76
Born in March 1950, Michael Gerald Ford is the oldest of Gerald and Betty's four children. He graduated from Wake Forest University in 1972, and then received a Master's in Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1977, continuing to work today as a minister and lay leader.
After serving as a director of student affairs at the University of Pittsburgh, he began working with his alma mater Wake Forest in student affairs and development. He remained with the university for nearly four decades, retiring in 2018. He also served as the Chairman of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation from 2018 to 2022, and has been a trustee since 1982.
He met Gayle Ann Brumbaugh while at Wake Forest, with the pair tying the knot in 1974. They're now the proud parents of three daughters and multiple grandchildren. Michael in particular earned notoriety for criticizing the Nixon administration and his father's decision to pardon him after Watergate.
© Getty ImagesJohn Gardner Ford, 74
Born in March 1952, John Gardner "Jack" Ford graduated from Jacksonville University in Florida and Utah State University, working as a forest ranger and a firefighter when not assisting his father on the campaign trail in the '70s.
Outside of a brief involvement with the Republican party, Jack eschewed a political career like his father's, focusing on his love for the outdoors instead and entertainment. In fact, he was instrumental in famously getting Beatles member George Harrison to the White House to meet with the POTUS. He also helped co-create the magazine Outside in 1977.
Per the Grateful American Foundation, Jack now lives in California and is married with two children.
© Getty ImagesJack Ford and George Harrison
Case in point!
© Getty ImagesSteven Meigs Ford, 70
Born in May 1956, Steven Meigs Ford studied range management at Utah State University while his older brother studied forestry. From there, however, his career took quite a turn, instead pivoting to acting, echoing his father's once Republican party opponent Ronald Reagan.
He was meant to make his movie debut in 1978's landmark musical Grease as Tom Chisum, but had to back out of the role, eventually replaced by Lorenzo Lamas. After making his big screen debut in 1980, he has since appeared in films like Escape from New York (1981), When Harry Met Sally… (1989), Heat (1995), Contact (1997), Armageddon (1998), Black Hawk Down (2001), and Transformers (2007).
His best known credit was actually on TV, originating the role of Andy Richards in the soap The Young and the Restless in 1982, a character he played until 2003. He also serves on the board of trustees for the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and has given several nationwide talks on alcoholism and substance abuse, and now owns a ranch in California.
© Getty ImagesSusan Elizabeth Ford Bales, 69
The youngest of Gerald and Betty Ford's four children, born in July 1957, Susan Elizabeth Ford's early life was intertwined with her family's time in the White House, even holding her senior prom there. She was also a White House volunteer when her father was VP, and even served as White House Hostess when her mother was hospitalized for breast cancer.
Susan studied photojournalism, working with publications like Newsweek, the Associated Press and Ladies Home Journal, even shooting the publicity stills for the 1978 Jaws sequel. In 2005, she published the thriller novel Double Exposure: A First Daughter Mystery, followed by a 2005 sequel, Sharp Focus. Susan also followed in her mother's footsteps as part of the Betty Ford Center, eventually succeeding her as the chair.
She married Charles Vance in 1979, one of the Secret Service agents who worked for her father, although her parents were hesitant about the union given he was reportedly 16 years her senior. The pair welcomed two daughters before their 1988 divorce. She was married to attorney Vaden Bales from 1989 to 2018, and now lives in Texas.
