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Gerald Ford: Dead at 93

Former American President, Gerald Ford, died Wednesday at the age of 93, his wife, Betty, announced in California. The announcement didn`t disclose the cause of death, but it is known that Ford suffered of a heart condition and was operated on, last August. Ford was the longest living American President.

Ford was America`s 38th President, in office from 1974 to 1976. He was the only American President not to be elected, He replaced Richard Nixon, who resigned from office, after the Watergate scandal, and wasn`t reelected. Former President, Lyndon Johnson was sworn into presidency after, John F. Kennedy was assassinated, but he, later, won a landslide victory in the 1964 elections. Gerald Ford was born in Omaha, Nebraska, as Lesley Lynch King Jr.. In 1941 he completed his studies in Yale University and while working as an attorney, he began his political career in the Republican Party. In December 1941, the United States joined World War II, Ford joined the Navy, and served on deck an aircraft carrier in the South Pacific.

In 1948, he was elected to the House of Representatives, and shortly after, married his wife Elizabeth (Betty) Bloomer Warren, a former model. They had 4 children. Ford served as a member of the House of Representatives for 25 years, from 1948 to 1973. After the assassination of John F. Kennedy, he was appointed by President Lyndon Johnson to be a member of the Warren Committee that investigated the murder. In 1965 he was elected as head of the Republican opposition in the House of Representatives. In 1973 Spiro Agnew, President Nixon`s Vice President, was forced to resign due to allegations of bribery. On December 1973, Ford was appointed Vice President by Nixon. In August 1974, Nixon was forced to resign due to the Watergate scandal, and Ford was sworn in as America`s 38th President. In 1975, to murder attempts were made at Ford`s life, in both cases the would-be assassins were woman. At the 1976 elections Ford lost to Jimmy Carter and left politics behind him.