Obituary: William "Bill" Ford

William “Bill” Ford, age 87, of New Smyrna Beach, died Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, 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 and enjoyed golf and tennis. He was in the baseball farm system with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Bill was a diehard Clemson fan and loved his Saturdays at the beach.

He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. Family was his life, and he will be truly missed by all who knew and loved him.

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

The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2, at Settle-Wilder New Smyrna Beach Chapel.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 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.

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.

Condolences may be sent to settlewilderfuneralhome.com.