U.S. Postal Service honors Gerald Ford

WASHINGTON, June 12 (UPI) -- The U.S. Postal Service will issue a commemorative stamp this year honoring the late President Gerald R. Ford.

The stamp art is a portrait of Ford painted by Michael J. Deas.

An 11-foot image of the stamp was unveiled by Postmaster General John Potter at a dinner in Washington Monday night attended by Ford's four children and U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney.

"Throughout his more than three decades of public service, Gerald Ford gave so much to this nation," Potter told the audience. "This stamp personifies his strong character as a courageous and principled leader who successfully healed the nation at a critical time in our history."

The release of the 41-cent stamp, scheduled for Aug. 31, will be marked by dedication ceremonies at Rancho Mirage, Calif., and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Mich.