Jack Eugene Ford

Jack Eugene Ford passed gently into the arms of God at the age of 82 on Thursday, November 14, 2024 in Renton, Washington. Jack was born on January 9, 1942 in Phoenix, Arizona to parents Jack Francis and Mildred Lorene (Ledbetter) Ford. His siblings include Cathy Ford Filson and the late Mark Ford. Jack graduated Arvin High School in Arvin, California in 1960. He played varsity football during his high school years and we will always treasure his trophies and memories from that special time in his life.

Jack was raised in church and that is where he met and married his high school sweetheart Deanna Loretta Sanderson on January 10, 1961. They have two children, daughter Jacquelyn and son Randall. Throughout his lifetime he served faithfully in church positions such as member of the Deacon Board, usher and Sunday School teacher.

Jack was a gifted handy man and could quite literally fix anything from rebuilding car engines, to designing and building furniture. He passed this legacy down to both his son Randall and grandson Zachary. Zachary spent many treasured hours building things in the garage workshop with his grandpa. Together they created items such as a wooden guitar and a covid era wooden school desk for Zachary.

Jack loved attending the activities his grandchildren participated in including McKenzie’s soccer games and both McKenzie and Zachary’s band performances. He also spent many happy times with the entire family enjoying Randy’s bar-b-que feasts and Michelle’s great cooking in the backyard of their home.

Jack enjoyed shooting guns out in the open desert and was also later a member of a gun club in the Santa Barbara area where he enjoyed loading his own shells and trap shooting.

Taking long walks throughout the neighborhood with his dog Alexander was something he always enjoyed. He was loved by all and never knew a stranger.

Nascar racing was another sport that Jack enjoyed and a lot of special memories were made traveling with his daughter Jacquelyn to many Nascar race weekends in Los Angeles and on the east coast.

Jack’s commitment and strong work ethic were demonstrated during his long career with the Southern California Gas Company. He was hired by the Gas Company in the early 1960’s working with pipeline maintenance and retired in 1998 as Station Superintendent at the underground gas facility in Santa Barbara, California.

Jack loved the Mojave Desert and shared this with his family during his tenure working at the Newberry Springs underground pipeline plant that distributed gas to the Los Angeles Basin. Jack built an off-road dune buggy and the family spent many happy days covered in dust watching off road dune buggy races, enjoying campfire breakfasts and exploring the Mojave Desert. He taught both of his young children how to drive the dune buggy in the wide open desert. He taught his children the importance of desert safety and survival skills and taught his family a healthy respect for the sidewinders, tarantulas and many other living creatures that resided in the desert. This included bringing home a temporary guest in the form of a large tarantula that came crawling out of his metal lunch pail one evening after work, just so the children could see what one looked like.

He is survived by his wife Loretta, his children Jacquelyn and Randall (Michelle) Grandson Zachary and Granddaughter Mckenzie Schneider (Samuel) and sister Cathy Filson (Steve), their son Steven Filson (Carrieanne) and Teresa (widow of Mark) and their daughter Marci Guarduno (Ed and their children Abby and Noah). He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Mark.

Jack was a true gentleman who put his family first and was a devoted husband, father, a top notch grandpa and friend to all.