What Became of the Ford Children?

The Adult Lives of Michael, Jack, Steven, and Susan

Mar 19, 2009

Thirty-eighth president Gerald R. Ford and wife Betty were the parents of four children. Each child grew up to be a successful adult.

Gerald Ford, the only U.S. president to never have been elected, was a devoted husband and family man. (Ford was Richard M. Nixon's vice-president. After Nixon resigned in 1974 due to the Watergate Scandal, Ford became commander-in-chief. Ford ran against Jimmy Carter in 1976 and lost the election.) He and his wife, Betty, were the proud parents of four children-- three boys and one girl: Michael Gerald (1950- ); John "Jack" Gardner (1952- ); Steven Meigs (1956- ); Susan Elizabeth (1957- ). Each Ford child chose his her own path and represents the Ford family well.

Michael Ford received his college education at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He became an ordained minister and joined the staff of the Coalition for Christian Outreach at the University of Pittsburgh in 1977. In 1981, Michael became student affairs director at Wake Forest. Today, he is Wake Forest's director of student development. Michael is married to a woman named Gayle, with whom he has three daughters: Sarah, Rebekah, and Hannah.

Jack Ford, Entrepreneur

Jack Ford cofounded California Info Tech, which is a company that supplies shopping malls with electronic information kiosks. He served as executive director of the 1996 San Diego Republican Convention host committee. Jack, his wife, Juliann Felando, and their two sons live in California.

As a teenager, Steven Ford worked as a cowboy team roper on the professional rodeo circuit. Today, he is an established actor and has appeared in several movies, including: Armageddon, Black Hawk Down, Contact, Starship Troopers, and When Harry Met Sally. He has also had numerous guest-star roles on various TV series. For example, Steven has appeared regularly on the soap opera The Young and the Restless. Steven currently owns a ranch in San Luis, Obispo, California, where he has bred thoroughbred horses. In addition, Steven serves on the board of directors of the Gerald R. Ford Museum. He is single and has no children.

Susan, the Fords' only daughter, is a photographer. She studied under Ansel Adams. Susan's photo credits include Newsweek, Ladies' Home Journal, and the Associated Press. She has also written two novels, Double Exposure and Sharp Focus. Both these books are "First Daughter" mysteries. In addition, Susan is a board member of the Betty Ford Center, as well as a former national spokesperson for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Susan is married to Vaden Bales. She, her husband, and two daughters live in the Southwest.

Harris, Bill. The First Ladies Fact Book, p. 614. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, Inc., 2005.

The copyright of the article What Became of the Ford Children? in Modern US History is owned by Ashley Waggoner. Permission to republish What Became of the Ford Children? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.