That's 2 (Gerald Ford)

[CoasterMatt]

He was on my dead pool list - I'm doing pretty good so far.

[MouseWife]

I always liked him as well as his family. I was just reading a brief article highlighting his life. I like him even more.

Rest in peace.

[~MS~]

He had a good life, he did good things as our only unelected pres, my prayers for comfort in their time of sadness for his family. It doesn't matter how old or how great a life, losing a loved one is sad

[Alex]

Originally Posted by CoasterMatt

He was on my dead pool list - I'm doing pretty good so far.

So far? There're only four days left (unless yours is on a different calendar). Are points based on age or ranking on your list?

I can't say that Ford was really much more than a historical oddity. Though it is an interesting exercise in alternative history since if he hadn't pardoned Nixon, Reagan likely never would have been elected.

He was president when I was born, though. So he did lead this nation through its greatest moment.

Some dead president trivia. Not only was he the longest living man to be president, but he was among the longest living after being president.

He fell just 25 days short of living for 30 years as a former president. He was still the second longest coming in behind Herbert Hoover's 31 years and 7 months with the title. Making it to even 20 is pretty uncommon with Martin Van Buren (21 years, 4 months) and John Adams (25 years, 4 months) being the only other two.

We now have three living former presidents. If one of them kicks the bucket before 2010 this will be the first calendar decade since the 1960s in which three current or former presidents have died. If two kick the bucket then it would be the first time four have died in a decade since the 1860s when five died (and they cheated and shot one of theirs). To set a new record with six Carter, Clinton, and both Bushes will have to die in the next three years and four days.

Ford is the second president to die the day after Christmas. Harry Truman did so as well back in 1972. The all time record for a date is three with Jefferson, Adams, and Monroe all dying on July 4. The only other date to have more than one is March 8 sharing Howard Taft and Millard Fillmore.

It is still the case that no current or former president has died in the month of May. Almost 1/3 of current or former presidents have died in the months of June or July.

[RStar]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

It is still the case that no current or former president has died in the month of May. Almost 1/3 of current or former presidents have died in the months of June or July.

How bizzar is that?? I guess if you are elected a president you can pretty much know the months you may die in. My birthday is in May, so that's safe...

Thanks for the interesting trivia, Alex!

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

Ford is the second president to die the day after Christmas. Harry Truman did so as well back in 1972.

I was just coming here to mention that. I happen to know that because of the coincidence that my sister was born on Dec. 26th (anniversary of Truman's death) and I was born on May 8th (Truman's birthday).

[lizziebith]

All I remember was how annoyed I was at his pardon of Nixon.

[Alex]

I don't think Nixon's pardon was the right thing to do. But in the end it was probably the best thing to do in terms of the "psychological" health of the nation.

RStar, I'd have to look again at which presidents died in June and July and where they lived at the time. Back in the age before AC, summers were hell for old people in many parts of the country.

[Scrooge McSam]

Originally Posted by lizziebith

All I remember was how annoyed I was at his pardon of Nixon.

Be comforted, lizziebith. Since the Kennedy's gave him an award a few years back, we're not supposed to be annoyed by that memory anymore.

I do feel sorry for Ms. Ford. I always liked her. She courageously kicked her own destructive addictions and then made it possible for others to follow.

[innerSpaceman]

Yes, hear, hear regarding Mrs. Ford. She was more admirable a first lady, imo, than Ford was a president. I remember his presidency quite well. The fact that, aside from the infamous Pardon, he really did nothing too egregiously aggravating ... that makes him, perhaps, the best president of my lifetime (which stretches back to Eisenhower, btw). For all that, I don't hold the man in paricularly high regard. It's not enough to do no harm. I expect much more than that from the President of the United States.

That "do no harm" is the best we've ever gotten does not make Ford our finest chief executive. But at least my natural feelings of sadness at his passing are not conflicted with the loathing and glee I'm likely to feel at the death of any given U.S. president.

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

Ford is the second president to die the day after Christmas. Harry Truman did so as well back in 1972. The all time record for a date is three with Jefferson, Adams, and Monroe all dying on July 4. The only other date to have more than one is March 8 sharing Howard Taft and Millard Fillmore.

Jefferson and Adams died on the very same July 4 (in 1826) - probably a singular record. Thanks for all the pres-mortal trivia, Alex!




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