Emily A. Ford, age 86, of Wabasha, formerly of Winona, died early Saturday morning, March 7, 2009 at St. Elizabeth's Health Care Center in Wabasha. She had resided there since 1999. She was born September 15, 1922 in Wabasha, the daughter of Henry and Sophie (Bootz) Wodele. She was a graduate of St. Felix High School in Wabasha. Emily was a long time resident of Winona and worked for many years at Technigraph in Winona. She moved back to Wabasha when she entered the health care center.

She is survived by daughters and sons-in-law, Jean Hamm, Tequesta, FL, Barbara and Russell Nowlan, Hastings, MN, Arthur Johnson, Winona, MN; son and daughter-in-law, Tom and Evelyn Ford, Las Vegas, NV; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; sisters and brother-in-law, Clara Lund, and Helen Zeimetz, Wabasha, MN, Bernice Kondro, Burbank, CA, Catherine Whitcomb, Long Beach., CA, Doris Warnken, Hudson, WI, Beatrice Beck, Penn Valley, CA, Alfred Cox, Wabasha, MN; sisters-in-law, Catherine "Katie" Wodele and Anna Mae Wodele, Wabasha, MN; over 150 nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death by daughter, Diane Johnson, son, Richard Ford, five brothers, Harold, James, Clarence, Ralph and John Wodele and six sisters, Harriet Wodele, Margaret Cox, Mabel Wildes, Dorine Knose and Ethel Furne and Mary Marx.

A funeral service will be held at 1:00pm at the Abbott Funeral Home on Wednesday, March 11, 2009. Interment will be in St. Felix Cemetery. Casket bearers will be Doug, Craig and Tiffany Nowlan, Paul Johnson, Ted Hamm, Jr. and Nicole Ford. Friends may call at the funeral home one hour before the service on Wednesday.

The Abbott Funeral Home of Wabasha is in charge of arrangements.