PAT NIXON .

Born Thelma Catherine Ryan on March 16, 1912, in Ely, Nevada, "Pat" Nixon acquired her nickname within hours. Her father called her his "St. Patrick's babe in the morn" when he came home from the mines before dawn.

Soon the family moved to California and settled on a small truck farm near Los Angeles - a life of hard work with few luxuries. When her mother died in 1925, 13-year-old Pat assumed household duties for her father and two older brothers. At 18, she lost her father after nursing him through months of illness. Determined to continue her education, she worked her way through the University of Southern California. She held part-time jobs on campus, as a sales clerk and as an extra in the movies, and she graduated cum laude in 1937. Pat met Richard Nixon after accepting a position as a high-school teacher in Whittier. They became acquainted at a Little Theater group when they were cast in the same play, and were married on June 21, 1940.

During World War II, she worked as a government economist while Richard served in the navy. She campaigned at his side in 1946 when he entered politics. Within six years she saw him elected to the vice presidency on the ticket with Dwight D. Eisenhower. Despite the demands of official life, the Nixons were devoted parents to their two daughters, Tricia and Julie. .A tireless campaigner when her husband ran unsuccessfully for president in 1960, Pat was again at his side when he won in 1968.

Mrs. Nixon used her position as first lady to encourage volunteer service – "the spirit of people helping people." She invited hundreds of families to nondenominational Sunday services in the East Room and instituted a series of performances by artists in varied American traditions. She took quiet pride in adding 600 paintings and antiques to the White House Collection.

Travels with her husband included the historic visit to the People's Republic of China and the summit meeting in the Soviet Union. Her first solo trip was a journey of compassion to take relief supplies to earthquake victims in Peru. Later Pat visited Africa and South America with the unique diplomatic standing of personal representative of the president.

Mrs. Nixon met the troubled days of Watergate with dignity. "I love my husband," she said, "I believe in him, and I am proud of his accomplishments." She died at home in Park Ridge, New Jersey, on June 22, 1993. Her husband followed her in death ten months later. She and the former president are buried at the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace in Yorba Linda, California.

BETTY FORD .

In 25 years of political life, Betty Ford did not expect to become first lady. As wife of Representative Gerald R. Ford, she looked forward to his retirement and time together. In late 1973 his selection as vice president was a surprise. She was just getting used to their new roles when he became president upon Mr. Nixon's resignation in August 1974.

Born in 1918 in Chicago, Elizabeth Anne Bloomer grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She studied modern dance at Bennington College in Vermont, and became a member of Martha Graham's noted concert group in New York City, supporting herself as a fashion model for the John Robert Powers firm. Close ties with her family and her hometown took her back to Grand Rapids, where she became fashion coordinator for a department store. She also organized her own dance group and taught dance to handicapped children.

Her first marriage ended in divorce after five years on the grounds of incompatibility. She began dating Jerry Ford, soon a candidate for Congress. They were married during the 1948 campaign. He won his election, and the Fords moved near Washington, D. C., where their four children - Michael, Jack, Steven, and Susan - were born in the next ten years. Betty Ford found herself shouldering many of the family responsibilities. She supervised the home, did the cooking, undertook volunteer work, and took part in the activities of "House wives" and "Senate wives" for congressional and Republican clubs. In addition, she was an effective campaigner for her husband.

Betty accepted her new life as first lady as a challenge. "I like challenges very much," she said. Betty Ford had the self-confidence to express herself with humor and forthrightness whether speaking to friends or to the public. Forced to undergo radical surgery for breast cancer in 1974, she reassured many troubled women by discussing her ordeal openly. As soon as possible, she resumed her duties as hostess at the Executive Mansion and her role as a public-spirited citizen. She did not hesitate to state her views on controversial issues such as the Equal Rights Amendment, which she strongly supported.

From their home in California, she was equally frank about her successful battle against dependency on drugs and alcohol. She helped establish the Betty Ford Center for treatment of this problem at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage.

She has described the role of first lady as "much more of a 24-hour job than anyone would guess" and says of her predecessors: "Now that I realize what they've had to put up with, I have new respect and admiration for every one of them."

ROSALYNN CARTER .

Born in Plains, Georgia, on August 18, 1927, Rosalynn Smith grew up in an atmosphere of strong family ties and dedication to church and community. When she was 13, her father died and her mother became a dressmaker to help support the family. As the oldest, Rosalynn worked beside her mother, helping with the sewing, the housekeeping, and the other three children. Times were difficult, but she completed high school and enrolled in Georgia Southwestern College at Americus. In 1945, after her freshman year, she first dated Jimmy Carter, a friend and neighbor who was home from the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. Their romance progressed, and in 1946 they were married.

The couple went to Norfolk, Virginia, Ensign Carter's first duty station. The navy kept them on the move. Their sons were born in different places: John William in Virginia, James Earl III in Hawaii, and Donnel Jeffrey in Connecticut. In 1953, Jimmy’s father died and the Carters returned to Plains to run the family business. Managing the accounts of the peanut, fertilizer and seed enterprise, Rosalynn found herself working full-time. A daughter, Amy Lynn, was born in Georgia in 1967.

When Jimmy entered politics in 1962, Rosalynn became an important part of his team, helping him become governor of Georgia in 1970. During his run for president, she traveled independently throughout the United States. Her quiet, friendly manner made her an effective campaigner.

As first lady, Mrs. Carter managed routine duties and special projects. She attended cabinet meetings and briefings, frequently represented her husband at ceremonial occasions, and served as the president's personal emissary to Latin American countries. She also focused national attention on the performing arts and took a strong interest in programs to aid mental health, the community and the elderly. From 1977 to 1978, she served as the honorary chairperson of the President's Commission on Mental Health.

Mrs. Carter’s autobiography, First Lady From Plains, was published in 1984. She is a director of the Carter Center in Atlanta, where she manages an active mental health program and works with human rights, conflict resolution, and childhood immunization. She also shares her community service talents with Habitat for Humanity, an organization that builds homes for the underprivileged.