Dr. Edward Raymond Ford, Jr., a lifelong resident of Mobile, passed away on June 7, 2020 at the age of 75. He is preceded in death by his parents, Edward Raymond Ford, Sr. and Emma Louise Wales Ford, and his sister, Lee Ford. He is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, Jane Diamond Ford; three sons, Edward Raymond Ford, III (Heather), Benjamin Young Ford (Camille), and Patrick Bryan Ford; sisters, Anne Ford Heard and Mary Lynn Ford Dowsey; and grandchildren Reagan Ford, Edward Ford, IV, Baylor Ford, Tommy Ford, Janie Ford, Benji Ford, and Bailey Ford.
Ed, or “Bubba” as he was affectionately called by his sisters, was born in Mobile on March 21, 1945 and attended Murphy High School, where he excelled at basketball and track. Prior to Murphy, Ed attended Barton Academy, where he met the love of his life, Jane Diamond, in the 8th grade. Ed went on to Auburn University and was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. Ed loved Auburn athletics, and he and Jane never missed a game. Following college, Ed proudly served as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy and is a veteran of the Vietnam War, where he captained a Patrol Boat on the Mekong River. He went on to study dentistry at the University of Alabama Birmingham and practiced the profession in Mobile for 39 years. Ed loved his patients, often times providing free dental work for those who could not afford to pay. He also took much joy in visiting local elementary schools where he taught children the importance of taking care of their teeth.
Ed was a member of a Mobile mystic society and attended Ashland Place United Methodist Church, where he assisted with its Boy Scout Pack for several years. However, his proudest and most valuable contribution was to his family. He was an ideal father who put his own self-interest aside for the benefit of his children. He loved family gatherings and was known for engineering elaborate birthdays and Christmas mornings. He amassed a library of videos of basketball and baseball games played by his three sons. And on many nights at Municipal Park, Ed and Jane could be seen running from field-to-field, trying to keep track of simultaneous games played by their sons. He was dedicated, loving, and will be dearly missed.
A celebration of life for Ed will be held Friday, June 12, 2020 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Radney Funeral Home, 3155 Dauphin Street, Mobile, Alabama 36606, with the memorial service starting at 2:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.radneyfuneralhome-mobile.com for the Ford family.
