I am writing this letter to remind the people of Chicago about our own local connections to former President Gerald Ford. While he didn’t reside in our city, it played a critical role in his life. It was here that he played as a starter at the 1935 All Star football game, which led to his being offered a position with the Green Bay Packers (he turned it down to become a lawyer).
It was also here that his beloved wife, Elizabeth Bloomer, was born, the daughter of a prominent rubber supply salesman.
Chicago’s most significant contribution to his career, however, came during World War II. He had served as a gunner aboard the aircraft carrier USS Monterrey in the Pacific and after the war was named athletic director for Glenview Naval Air Station.
I have many pleasant memories of letters the former president and I exchanged many years later regarding this overlooked chapter of his military service and of his presidency. In 1995, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his time in the Navy, I commissioned a scale model replica of the small plane in which he learned to fly and asked him to autograph it. He graciously did so and included a photo of his early public career along with it.
Through the letters he penned to me and his generous actions in signing the model, it became clear to me that he was indeed one of the most insightful, if not modest, men to have held the office of president of the United States.
I hope that through this letter I have written to the Tribune, the people of Chicago will remember and cherish him both as a decent person and for his contributions to our city and the nation.
