Courtesy Gerald R. Ford Library Gerald R. Ford was the thirty-eighth president of the United States.

When he took the oath of office on August 9, 1974, he declared, "I assume the presidency under extraordinary circumstances…this is an hour of our history that troubles our minds and hurts our hearts."

It was, indeed, an unprecedented time. In late 1973, following the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew, Ford was appointed vice president by Richard Nixon under the terms of the Twenty-fifth Amendment, a first for the United States. When Nixon became the first president to resign from office, Ford became the first president of the United States who was never elected to the office of vice president or president.

Ford was born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1913 and grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was a star athlete on the University of Michigan football team. While he received offers to play professional football from the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers, he instead chose to earn his law degree at Yale. After passing the bar exam in Michigan, Ford and a University of Michigan fraternity brother opened a law practice in Grand Rapids.

Ford began his 25-year political career in Congress in the late 1940s. He was re-elected 12 times, garnering more than 60 percent of the vote in the general elections each time. Known for integrity and openness, he served as House Minority Leader from 1965 to 1973 and was a member of the Warren Commission, which investigated the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

As president, Ford inherited an administration plagued by a divisive war in Southeast Asia, rising inflation, and fears of energy shortages. He also struggled to bring dignity back to the White House in the wake of the Watergate scandal. Believing that impeachment proceedings would prevent the United States from moving on to deal with other challenges the country was facing, Ford pardoned Richard Nixon prior to the filing of any formal criminal charges. Public reaction was mostly negative – in fact some suspected Ford made a "deal" with the former president to pardon him if he would resign. The decision might have cost him the election in 1976, but President Ford always maintained that it was the right thing to do for the good of the country.

After leaving office, President Ford continued to actively participate in the political process and to speak out on important political issues. In August 1999, President Ford received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This honor, the nation's highest civilian award, was presented by President Bill Clinton in recognition of President Ford's role in guiding the nation through the turbulent times of Watergate, the resignation of President Nixon and the end of the Vietnam War. In October 1999, Ford was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for "dedicated public service and outstanding humanitarian contributions." He also is a recipient of the John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage Award.

Ford is survived by his wife Elizabeth; children Michael, John, Steven and Susan and their spouses; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

***OFFICIAL SCHEDULE***

GERALD R. FORD STATE FUNERAL

38th PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

FORT LESLEY J. MCNAIR, D.C. - The family of President Gerald R. Ford, 38th President of the United States, has announced the official schedule of President Ford's state funeral and the related services and ceremonies. The funeral and other services will occur in three stages. Stage One will occur in Palm Desert, Calif., Stage Two will occur in Washington, D.C. and Stage Three will occur in Grand Rapids, Mich.

STAGE ONE – California Portion of the State Funeral

President Ford's remains will be received with military ceremony at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, Palm Desert, Calif., approximately 12:20 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29.

After the arrival ceremony and a private family prayer service and visitation, the remains will lie in repose at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church from 4:00 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, until approximately 8:00 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 30 PDT/PST. A Guard of Honor will attend the remains while in repose. The public is invited to attend this repose at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church.

The remains of President Ford will depart the church with ceremony at approximately 9:45 a.m. PDT/PST, Saturday, Dec. 30, and be transported to Palm Springs Regional Airport. The public is invited to pay their respects along the motorcade route. The remains will depart the airport with ceremony at approximately 10:15 a.m. PDT/PST and be flown to Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

This will conclude the ceremonies in California.

STAGE TWO – Washington Portion of the State Funeral

1. President Ford's remains will arrive with ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Saturday, Dec. 30, at approximately 5:20 p.m. EDT/EST.

2. En route to the U.S. Capitol, the motorcade will travel through Alexandria, Va., in remembrance of President Ford's long residence in that city as a Congressman and as Vice President of the United States.

3. The motorcade will pause at the World War II Memorial located on the National Mall at 17th Street, between Constitution and Independence Avenues at approximately 5:35 p.m. EDT/EST, Saturday, Dec. 30. World War II and other veterans, as well as the public, are invited to attend this tribute.

4. The motorcade will then proceed to the U.S. Capitol and be received with ceremony at approximately 6:30 p.m. EDT/EST, at the East Steps to the U.S. House of Representatives. President Ford's casket will proceed up the East House Steps on the East Capitol Plaza in honor of his 24 years as a U.S. Congressman. His remains will be met by a group of his former House colleagues. His casket will lie in repose at the open House doors honoring his time in Congress. The casket will then be carried through Statuary Hall. His remains will then move to the Rotunda for the Lying in State portion of the state funeral. President Ford's remains will lie in state with a Guard of Honor until 9:15 a.m. EDT/EST, Tuesday, Jan. 2. Public viewing will be allowed during this time.

5. At approximately 9:30 a.m. EDT/EST, Tuesday, Jan. 2, the remains will depart the Rotunda and rest at the closed Senate doors in honor of his service as the Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate. The motorcade will then proceed to the Washington National Cathedral, passing the White House en route.

6. At approximately 10 a.m. EDT/EST, President Ford's remains will be received with ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral. A national funeral service will then be conducted at approximately 10:30 a.m. EDT/EST.

7. Following the service, the remains will depart with ceremony from Washington National Cathedral at approximately 11:30 a.m. EDT/EST. A motorcade will transport the casket from the cathedral to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., for a departure ceremony at approximately 12:15 p.m. EDT/EST.

This concludes ceremonies in Washington, D.C.

STAGE THREE – Michigan Portion of the State Funeral

President Ford's remains will arrive from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and be received with ceremony at Gerald R. Ford International Airport, Grand Rapids, Mich., at approximately 2:15 p.m. EDT/EST, Tuesday, Jan 2.

His casket will then be moved by motorcade to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids, Mich., for a brief private service. During the service, wreaths will be placed at the casket by the presidents of Yale University and the University of Michigan in honor of President Ford's law degree and undergraduate degree, from those institutions respectively. Following the service, President Ford's remains will lie in repose until 3:30 p.m. EST/EDT, Tuesday, Jan. 2. The public is invited to pay their respects at the museum during repose.

President Ford's remains will depart the museum with ceremony at approximately 1 p.m. EST/EDT, Wednesday, Jan. 3, and proceed to Grace Episcopal Church, Grand Rapids, Mich., for a private funeral service for invited guests only.

President Ford's remains will be received at the church with ceremony at approximately 1:30 p.m. EST/EDT. Following the service, the remains will depart the church with ceremony at approximately 3 p.m. EDT/EST and proceed to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum for a private interment service.

The casket will arrive with ceremony at the museum for a private interment service at approximately 3:30 p.m. EDT/EST. The private interment service will be conducted immediately following the arrival ceremony.

This will conclude the funeral schedule for President Gerald R. Ford.

Editor's Notes:

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Public participation varies at each location. Separate releases will be issued with further instructions on motorcade routes and hours of repose at ceremony sites. For more information and for an interactive FAQ resource, we encourage your viewers/readers to visit the Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region Web site at www.jfhqncr.northcom.mil or the Gerald R. Ford Memorial website at: www.GeraldFordMemorial.com .

Mrs. Ford is extremely grateful for the outpouring of prayers and affection which has been received by her family. The Ford family has respectfully asked for those considering sending flowers or making a contribution in honor of President Ford, that contributions be made to the Gerald R. Ford Fund. This request includes donations in lieu of flowers.

The Gerald R. Ford Foundation has established the Gerald R. Ford Memorial Fund to honor the principles and values demonstrated by President Ford throughout his public service career. This Fund will benefit the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum in carrying out their mission to educate the public about the unique history and significant events of the Ford presidency, as well as a broader understanding of the presidency, and U.S. and world history.

For information on the Gerald R. Ford Foundation or to make a contribution, please send to:

Gerald R. Ford Foundation

303 Pearl St., NW

Grand Rapids, MI 49504-5353

www.GeraldFordMemorial.com