Ford, Claude Franklin (1935-2002)
- Details
- Category: Obituaries
- Posted: 12 May 2011
Claude Franklin Ford, 67, St. Joseph, died on Aug. 9, 2002, of an apparent heart attack at his home. Claude was born May 30, 1935 in Savannah. In 1941 he moved to St. Joseph and remained there for 61 years. He was a 1953 graduate of Benton High School. During his high school years, he excelled in football, track, baseball and academics. In 1952 he joined the Missouri Air National Guard and served in the Reserves for three years. Claude worked for Coca-Cola Bottling Company as a transport driver from 1953-1988. He retired from Coca-Cola in 1988 and went to work for the St. Joseph School District from 1988-1997. He retired from the school district in 1997. Claude was a member of Eureka Valley Baptist Church, where he served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Claude devoted many house [sic] of service to me [sic] church.
On Aug. 28, 1953 he married the former Bonnie Baker. They would have been married 49 years this month. He was preceded in death by his parents, Warden and Doris Jackson Ford. Survivors include his wife, Bonnie Ford of the home; three sons, Bradley J. Ford and his wife Rebecca of Savannah; Jefferey Ford and his wife, Dorothy; Kirby Ford and his wife Martha, all of St. Joseph; a daughter, Donnie Hale, and her husband Darren, St. Joseph; three granddaughters, Jessica Ford and Heather Ford, St. Joseph and Betsy Leidy of Hubert, N. C.; a grandson, Aaron Ford, St. Joseph; a great grandchild, Claire Leidy, Hubert, N. C.
Services were held Monday, Aug. 12, 2002, at Meierhoffer Family Funeral Service, with interment at Bethel Cemetery, DeKalb, Mo.
Source: Savannah Reporter, 15 August 2002
