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Eisenhower granddaughter to honor Betty Ford in Grand Rapids

Posted at 3:32 PM, Mar 25, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-25 15:32:11-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — President Dwight Eisenhower’s granddaughter will visit Michigan next month to mark what would have been the 99th birthday of first lady Betty Ford.

The Gerald Ford Presidential Foundation says Mary Jean Eisenhower will be the featured speaker at during the group’s annual America’s First Ladies: An Enduring Legacy luncheon on April 11 in Grand Rapids. President Gerald Ford and Betty Ford’s daughter, Susan Ford Bales, will participate in the event.

Mary Jean Eisenhower calls Betty Ford “an inspiration for women around the world.” She says Betty Ford’s “activism and willingness to candidly discuss tough challenges in life created awareness and much needed conversations about women’s issues.”

Susan Ford Bales says she’s honored that Eisenhower will share stories about being a first granddaughter.

Betty Ford died in 2011 at age 93.