RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (AP) — Public and private memorial ceremonies will be held in California and Michigan this week for former First Lady Betty Ford as her casket travels to be laid to rest alongside her husband in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Family attorney and spokesman Greg Willard said Tuesday that Ford died of natural causes at Eisenhower Medical Center at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, and ceremonies are proceeding according to her wishes.
Ceremonies will be held Tuesday at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Palm Desert.
On Wednesday morning, her casket will travel by motorcade to the Palm Springs airport, destined for Michigan.
Ceremonies will be held in Grand Rapids on Wednesday night before burial on Thursday.
For eulogies, Ford chose former First Lady Rosalyn Carter, Lynne Cheney and Cokie Roberts to speak, among others.
