William "Bill" Ford

William “Bill” Ford, age 87, of New Smyrna Beach, died Tuesday, January 30 at Halifax Health Medical Center, Daytona Beach. Born in Medford, Massachusetts, Bill came to the area in 1998 from South Florida. He served in the United States Army and owned a forms business in Miami.

 

Bill was a member of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, enjoyed golf, and tennis. He was in the baseball farm system with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Bill was a diehard Clemson fan and loved his Saturday’s at the beach. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. Family was his life and he will be truly missed by all that knew and loved him.

 

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Dianne; 2 daughters, Michelle Ford Gentry of Winter Garden and Alicia (Jack) Ford Gerhart of Marietta, Georgia; 2 sons, William E. (Cynthia) Ford, Jr. of Dallas, Georgia and Michael J. Ford of Port Orange; 3 granddaughters, Genevieve Gentry, Alexandra Gerhart and Abigail Gerhart; 2 grandsons, Edward Ford and Julian Gentry; one great- grandson Ethan Ford; 2 step grandsons, Lane Jordan and Landon Jordan; sister, Dorothy Farrell and brother, Larry Ford.

 

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 3 at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, New Smyrna Beach with Father Patrick Quinn, officiating. Interment will follow in Sea Pines Memorial Gardens, Edgewater. The family will receive friends from 2:00 until 4:00 p.m. Friday at Settle-Wilder New Smyrna Beach Chapel.

 

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Our Lady Star of the Sea Human Services Ministry, 4000 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169.