Former First Lady Betty Ford - Vocal Women's Advocate, Founder of Addiction Center - Dies at 93

Betty Ford - wife of President Gerald Ford and Founder of the Betty Ford Center for substance abuse and addiction - died today at the age of 93. Ford was known for her strong support of breast cancer awareness (after undergoing a mastectomy herself while First Lady) and was a proponent of women's rights.

Her death has been confirmed by ABC, CNN and CBS News. No official cause of death has yet been determined.

Born in Chicago and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Ford is perhaps most famously known for the work she did after her husband's presidency in founding the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California. She overcame her own alcoholism in the late 1970's.

The rehab facility has helped celebrities from Ozzie Osbourne and Lindsay Lohan to Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Minelli, Johnny Cash and Drew Barrymore battle their alcohol and substance abuse demons.

Betty Ford became First Lady when Gerald Ford took over the Presidency after the resignation of Richard Nixon in 1974. Ford had ascended to the Vice Presidency after the resignation of Spiro Agnew in 1973. Ford's ascension to the Presidency was more rapid than most, but she was able to adjust.

"Gradually, he became more important in the Congress and eventually, as of course, the Republican leader and vice president, then on to the role of president. And the more he grew in stature, the more I (found) a role for me. And I had to end up taking opinions, making opinions about certain feelings, and gradually that became kind of natural," she said in 2001.

As First Lady, she was a huge proponent of the Equal Rights Amendment, was openly pro-choice, and known for being an ardent supporter of the arts. An independent and sometimes feisty woman, she was largely responsible for helping drive mainstream acceptance of the idea of regular exams for breast cancer, after surviving it herself.

Her opinions were strong, and they didn't always make her popular with everyone, but Betty Ford was known for sticking to her guns.

“I figured, OK, I’ll move to the White House, do the best I can and if they don’t like it, they can kick me out, but they can’t make me somebody I’m not.”

She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George H.W. Bush in 1991, and received the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1999 for her ongoing charitable work.

As a young woman (known as Elizabeth Ann Bloomer), Betty Ford had been a model and a dancer who studied with Martha graham in New York. She had one marriage before Gerald Ford, to an insurance salesman. They divorced in 1947, and she was married to then-lawyer Gerald Ford in 1948. The rest, as they say, is history.

In a recently released statement, Nancy Reagan said:

"I was deeply saddened this afternoon when I heard of Betty Ford's death. She has been an inspiration to so many through her efforts to educate women about breast cancer and her wonderful work at the Betty Ford Center. She was Jerry Ford's strength through some very difficult days in our country's history, and I admired her courage in facing and sharing her personal struggles with all of us."

President Obama said in a release:

"Throughout her long and active life, Elizabeth Anne Ford distinguished herself through her courage and compassion. As our nation’s First Lady, she was a powerful advocate for women’s health and women’s rights.  After leaving the White House, Mrs. Ford helped reduce the social stigma surrounding addiction and inspired thousands to seek much-needed treatment. While her death is a cause for sadness, we know that organizations such as the Betty Ford Center will honor her legacy by giving countless Americans a new lease on life.

Today, we take comfort in the knowledge that Betty and her husband, former President Gerald Ford, are together once more. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to their children, Michael, John, Steven, and Susan."

Watch the AP video story on Ford's death:

Check out pictures of Betty Ford below: