Robert G. Ford, age 89, passed away Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014, at Home Place Special Care Center in Oak Harbor. He was born in Fargo, N.D., March 1, 1925.
Bob attended Roosevelt Junior High and then Fargo High School and graduated in June 1943. He enlisted in the Navy immediately after graduation and was accepted into the V-12 Program. He attended Navy college classes first at Valley City, N.D., and finally at the University of Minnesota, where he was commissioned as an Ensign.
Bob met his wife, Patricia Gessell, at Fargo High during their senior year, and they were married in Pennsylvania in 1947. Bob served in the Supply Corps of the Navy and was stationed along with his wife at many locations throughout the world, including Oakland, Calif.; San Diego; Philadelphia, Pa.; Charleston, S.C.; Dayton, Ohio; Norfolk, Va.; Seattle; and on the island of Guam. He retired after 22 years in the Navy as a commander.
Bob and Patricia have two surviving children, David Ford of Bloomsburg, Pa., and Robin Ford of Portland, Ore.; and granddaughter Miranda Kate Ford. Patricia died April 13, 2012, on Whidbey Island.
After retiring from the Navy, Bob, along with Patricia, lived at many different locations in the United States: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Florida, California and Washington. Bob worked at the University of Pennsylvania as an accounting manager, and he received a general business degree there. They spent a number of years at Aptos and Santa Cruz, Calif. Bob had an accounting business in California. In 2004, they moved to Useless Bay on Whidbey Island. Eventually, they were both residents at Home Place in Oak Harbor. Bob had many, many friends in this world, and he will be sorely missed.
A memorial service was held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Freeland, Pastor Jim Lindus is officiating. Memorials are suggested to the Wounded Warriors Project, 4899 Belmont Road, Ste. 300, Jacksonville, FL 32256. Family and friends are encouraged to share memories and condolences at www.whidbeymemorial.com.
