Betty FordBetty Ford served as First Lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977. Following her time in the White House, she remained an active and influential force for societal change, especially regarding women's empowerment, health, and addiction recovery.She was the founder and first chair of the board of directors of the Betty Ford Center for substance abuse and addiction (now part of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation). Mrs. Ford was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1991 and, along with her husband, received a Congressional Gold Medal in 1999. These awards honored her outstanding contributions to the people of the United States. Mrs. Ford passed away in 2011. Read More Read Less