Because of his alcoholism and abusive behavior, his wife, Dorothy Gardner, left him sixteen days after Ford's birth.

Dorothy quickly completed plans to leave her husband; she would not tolerate the abuse, or the threats to their son's safety.

Sixteen days after the birth, Dorothy Gardner King left Omaha with her son for Oak Park, Illinois, home of her sister Tannisse and brother-in-law Clarence Haskins James.

From there, she moved to the home of her parents Levi Addison Gardner and Adele Augusta (née Ayer) in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

King's father had recently fired him for mismanaging a warehouse, overdrawing his bank account, and poor personal conduct.

[11] In 1916, Charles H. King agreed to pay the delinquent alimony and future child support until his death on the stipulation that Dorothy drop charges against Leslie.

[12] On February 1, 1917, Dorothy Gardner King married Grand Rapids businessman Gerald Rudolff Ford.

Ford described his biological father as "a carefree, well-to-do man who didn't really give a damn about the hopes and dreams of his firstborn son".

After Charles' death, Leslie inherited $50,000 ($687,000 in 2016 dollars), and Dorothy got a judgment from Nebraska courts to force him to pay support.

King came to Michigan to pick up a new car and visited Ford where the future president was working at a restaurant in Grand Rapids.