All the Jerry You Can Handle

   Gerald R. Ford was born Leslie L. King jr. in Omaha, Nebraska to parents that separated 16 days after he was born and were divorced shortly afterward - in the second decade of the 20th century, when that was a rare occurrence. 

   The reason for the separation and divorce was the brutality of Ford's father towards his mother - apparently, Leslie L. King the senior was an insanely jealous man who first assaulted Ford's mother on their honeymoon, when she had the audacity to smile at another man.

   Two and a half years after the separation, Ford's mother, Dorothy Ayer Gardner, married for the second time, to Gerald Rudolff Ford, a businessman she had met after relocating to the home of her parents in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

   Gerald Rudolff Ford was a huge upgrade from Ford's birth father, and shortly after their marriage in 1917 Leslie L. King jr. was rechristened Gerald R. Ford jr., with the renaming not being made legal until 1935, by Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. himself (the "Rudolph" being the Anglicized version of Rudolff).

   Gerald Rudolff Ford senior and Dorothy enjoyed a long and fruitful marriage, having three more children, all sons, who were raised with Gerald R. Ford jr. in a happy, loving household.

   They also built a successful business in Grand Rapids, where the family prospered after persevering through the great depression of the 1930's (famously, Gerald R. Ford senior reduced the wages of his employees and himself to $5.00 a week until the company could afford to pay everyone more).

   Gerald R. Ford jr. was inspired by his stepfather to commit himself to a life of public service, which eventually resulted in him becoming the first (and so far only) person to become Vice-President and then President of the United States without ever being elected to either position (which is an interesting story itself, but for some other time).

   As a visitor to Grand Rapids it is nearly impossible not to become aware of Gerald R. Ford and his life of accomplishment - from landing at Gerald R. Ford International Airport to driving along the Gerald R. Ford Freeway to walking around the downtown entertainment / museum district where memorials to Ford are unavoidable (The Gerald R. Ford federal building borders Calder plaza on the right facing side of Calder's La Grande Vitesse sculpture).

   Here are just a few of the statues and related monuments seen in just one day of casually walking around Grand Rapids.