On December 26, , Gerald Ford , the 38th president of the United States and the 40th vice president , [ 3 ] died at his home in Rancho Mirage, California at p. At the age of 93 years and days, Ford was the longest-lived U.
Bush and Jimmy Carter. Ford was the second president to die during the presidency of George W. Bush and the second to die in the twenty-first century, the first being Ronald Reagan. Upon Ford's death, President George W. Bush said in a written statement:. Laura and I are greatly saddened by the passing of former President Gerald R. President Ford was a great American who gave many years of dedicated service to our country. On August 9, , after a long career in the House of Representatives and service as Vice President , he assumed the Presidency in an hour of national turmoil and division.
With his quiet integrity, common sense, and kind instincts, President Ford helped heal our land and restore public confidence in the Presidency. The American people will always admire Gerald Ford's devotion to duty, his personal character, and the honorable conduct of his administration.
We mourn the loss of such a leader, and our 38th President will always have a special place in our Nation's memory. Our thoughts and prayers will be with them in the hours and days ahead. There were also tributes from other Americans, including the living former American presidents: Jimmy Carter , George H. Gregory Willard, President Ford's personal attorney and former White House aide, was responsible for the overall planning and conduct of the state funeral as president and Mrs.
Ford and the Ford family's designated personal representative. Army Major General Guy C. Wagner provided advice to president and Mrs. Ford and the Ford family in planning the state funeral and accompanied the family throughout the state funeral. The schedule for the state funeral was announced at a press briefing on December 27 in Palm Desert, California. A personal statement from Betty Ford was read by Willard, and he announced details and answered media questions regarding the state funeral.
