Richard B. Ford

Richard B. Ford, 73, of Sioux City passed away Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009, at a Sioux City hospital from complications due to pneumonia.

Services will be 2 p.m. Friday at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel, with the Rev. Merlin Schrad officiating.

Richard Benton "Dick" Ford was born July 27, 1935, in Sioux City, to Sidney F. Ford and Monica M. (Garvin) Ford. He attended local schools and was a member of the first class at Heelan High School. After a family move, he graduated from high school in Park Ridge, Ill. He attended Creighton University in Omaha and was accepted as a U.S. Naval Air Cadet. He conducted his initial training in Pensacola, Fla. After sustaining a serious injury, he received a medical discharge from the naval service and returned to Sioux City.

On Aug. 23, 1958, he married Carol Lynn Kuhl of Fonda, Iowa. He worked for Central Finance for several years, before moving his family to Fonda for a position at the First National Bank. In 1963, the family returned to Sioux City. He subsequently worked as a salesman and general manager for several new and used car dealers, until he became an owner/operator for Hirschbach Motor Lines. The couple had eight children and divorced in 1977.

He married Jane McDaniel on May 15, 1981, and they moved to Port Charlotte, Fla., in 1982. He started a commercial real estate business, Florida Trace Realty. He was very active in the business and political communities of Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda. For a number of years, he wrote a weekly column for the local newspaper, the Charlotte Sun Herald. He eventually closed his own business and moved to a position selling commercial real estate for Prudential of Port Charlotte until his retirement in 2004. His marriage to Jane ended in divorce in 1991. He moved back to the Siouxland area in 2005.

His hobbies included writing and golf. He was a member of long standing at South Ridge Golf Course in South Sioux City.

He is survived by his brother, Robert (Nancy) Ford of South Sioux City; his children, James Ford of Irvine, Calif., Cpt. Michael Ford, USN (Noreen Hagerty) of Alexandria, Va., Theresa Gray of Yankton, S.D., Judith (Randy) Peppler of West Linn, Ore., Beth Ford (Jill Schurtz) of Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., Kathryn Ford (Barry Orrel) of Auburn, Ala., Thomas (Shannon) Ford of Sugar Grove, Ill., and Patrick Ford of Austin, Texas; 13 grandchildren; and multiple cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Sidney and Monica Ford; and his sister, Patricia Fitzgerald.

Memorials may be directed to Mercy Medical Center Foundation.

Dick was a caring brother, father, businessman and friend. He will be missed.