This is very sad news for our dental office. Mr. Ford was a joy to see and catch up with every time he came in for a visit.  He will surely be missed. Thoughts and prayers to the family...

Mr.  Ford was always so sweet to our family, especially our young son. He always gave the children lollipops after church and used that as a time to encourage them. He was very special and we feel blessed to have known him for 20 years.  Alexander, Lynnelle and Lexo Kordzaia

Bill was a great supporter of the children and youth. He would pay ridiculous money for home baked cakes and bread at cake auctions at Grace Baptist to help raise funds for their mission trips. 

When we joined Grace Baptist Church, one of the first members to welcome us was Bill.  His smile lit up the room and his humor and caring  became highlights of our week.  Seeing him bid hundreds of dollars for a fairly normal cake, the money went to our childrens programs, became a tradition to be admired and emulated as best we could.

His presence will be missed but his memory will live on and particularly enjoyed with each bite of cake!

Wow,Bill. You never told me your middle name was Archie!  Bill was a great human being who loved his church and children. I will never forget being present the day he first began to talk about hi's  D-Day experiences as a medic. Very emotional for him and us. We will miss his smile and love.

Bill adopted every child in Grace Baptist Church as his grandchild.  After service, children crowded around him and shared love as he gave them candy - there was always enough love and candy to go around.
Bill was Grace Baptist Church's recruiter-in-chief.  No visitor ever left without his warm greeting and gently insistent invitation to return.  Many members attribute their decision to join to Bill.
Bill's usual seat in our sanctuary is now typically unoccupied, but whenever I glance over there, I still sense the warmth and comfort of his presence.  Others will no doubt sit there, but Bill's ardent spirit will always fill that place for those whose lives were blessed by his.

Bill Ford and his wife, Mabel, welcomed my family to Grace Baptist Church when we first started attending there in 2005.  They loved our daughters and were always incredibly kind toward them and all of the other children.  Mr. Ford would walk around after worship service with a bag of candy, allowing each child to pick a treat.   In that the Fords lived in the west end, fairly close to us, I recall getting behind them in traffic some days.  I was always amazed at how much they seemed to love one another.  They looked so cute driving along side by side.  Both Bill and Mabel were good people.  My family was blessed to know them.

I have many wonderful memories of Bill. He was a kind and warm person who always greeted me with a smile and a hug.  A true "southern gentleman". I will always remember when he asked me to sing one of his favorite hymns, How Great Thou Art, as a solo for him during a Sunday service at Grace Baptist. The world has lost a very special person, but his beautiful spirit will live on in many hearts.

When we first came to Grace Baptist Church (17+ years ago), Bill Ford was one of the first people who greeted us and welcomed us, and he is one of the reasons we joined Grace Baptist Church!  He was so kind and always had a big hug and smile waiting for me.  There are so many wonderful memories I will cherish of Bill.  The one that keeps popping up - Bill loved people and "sweets"!  Bill loved the children of Grace Baptist Church - he always had lollipops for them after church service!  And he loved cake - at our yearly church cake auction, Bill would buy so many cakes/pies (the money would go to the Youth to help them go to camp) and gave them to one of the bidders he outbid!  What a wonderful man! And as our Pastor said on Sunday, "Bill Ford is truly one of Grace Baptist Church's Saints!"  

Bill was such a wonderful person!  When we started visiting Grace Baptist Church, Bill came over to us with a big smile, a hug, and a hearty handshake to welcome us. And he continued to do that every week!!  He was so wonderful to the youth of GBC. He always had candy to pass out to the children, and he bought more cakes at the youth cake auction than anyone else. And after he paid for them, he would go around and give them to the folks who bid against him.  God bless you Bill Ford!  What a treasure you were!

A wonderful man.  He was so loved by everyone at  Grace Baptist Church.  Bill was so modest about all his accomplishments. A true WWII hero. Kind and generous with everyone. He will be greatly missed. 

What a wonderful man. He fought for our freedom in WWII and never talked about the battle at Normandy beaches.

He loved the youth cake auctions at Grace Baptist Church.

Dear friend and we will miss his wonderful smile and conversations!

OBITUARY

William Archie Ford Jr.

July 27, 1923 – December 3, 2019

Nelsen Funeral Home & Crematory - Reid Chapel

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