(1913–2006), 38th president of the US 1974–77; born as Leslie Lynch King, Jr. (renamed by his stepfather in 1916); full name Gerald Rudolph Ford. He served in the US House of Representatives 1949–73 and as vice president 1973–74 before succeeding to the presidency upon the resignation of Richard Nixon in the wake of the Watergate affair. Noted for his integrity and candidness, he worked to heal the nation, to curb inflation while stimulating the economy, and to prevent war in the Middle East. He lost the 1976 presidential election to Jimmy Carter.