The 7th day of February, in the year of our Lord 2023, Ardath “Joan” (Jackson) Ford, passed at the age of 90, surrounded by loved ones at her daughter’s home in Ontario, Ohio and now rests peacefully with her heavenly Father.
Joan was born on August 20, 1932 in Elwood, Indiana, to John Winfield and Mary Lornell (Ingram) Jackson. She was a 1950 graduate of Mansfield Senior High School. In 1968, she and her family moved to North Carolina. Joan was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, eager to share with others the joy of her “beautiful family”. She was an avid sports fan, gifted seamstress, and talented artist. She loved listening to gospel music, especially the Gaither Vocal Band, and attending Bible study. She was a member of First Baptist Church in both Mansfield, OH and Washington, NC. In previous years, Joan was a member of the Women’s Club in Mansfield, OH, the Moose Lodge in Washington, NC, and a charter member of Beaufort County Hospital Volunteers. She shared her talents with many charitable organizations.
Left to cherish the many fond memories of Joan are her children, Linda Ford Mayer, John (Kathy) Ford, and Joannie (DeWayne) Kellum; her grandchildren, Cassandra J.M. Mayer, Christina (Byron) Guisbert, Jason W. (Shawna) Mayer, Ashley (Steffen) Tiskus, Meghan (Gavin) Louis, Jared (Jordan) Mayer, Alexis Ford, Eric Ford, Sawyer (Amber) Ford, Carmen (Daniel) Folk, Coby Kellum, and Cole Kellum; her great-grandchildren, Brooke, Jackson, Isabella, Gabriel, Michael, Henry, Vytautas, Bralyn, Aspen, Wyatt, Lillian, Grayson, Jaxon, Kennedy, Dawson, and Landon; her brothers-in-law, Dean Strine and Jim Wachter; and many more loving relatives.
In addition to her parents, Joan was preceded in death by her husband, Garvin Gene Ford; her daughter, Karla Ford; and her sisters, Patricia Tharp, Carolyn Wachter, and Luella Strine.
Family and friends are invited to gather from 5:00-7:00 pm on Friday, February 17, 2023 at Wappner Funeral Directors-Mansfield, 98 S. Diamond Street, with a memorial service to follow at 7pm. There will also be a Celebration of Life at the First Baptist Church of Washington, NC before she is laid to rest in Oakdale Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Home Delivered Meals Program at Beaufort County DSS (632 W. 5th St., Washington, NC 27889), First Baptist Church of Washington, NC (113 N. Harvey Street Washington, NC 27889), or The Friendly House (380 N. Mulberry St., Mansfield, OH 44903). Let us all take a moment this day to thank Jesus for giving Joan 90 full years of life while enriching family, friends, and countless others with her presence.
Wappner Funeral Directors-Mansfield is honored to serve the Ford/Mayer family.
