Joe Ford, 79 years old, the first regular rural mail carrier to serve a route from Alma, died suddenly at 4:30 p.m. Friday at his home, after a two day illness. Mr. Ford had been able to sit up in the afternoon, and suffered a heart attack after lying down to rest.
Mr. Ford served rural route No. 1 for more than 27 years, retiring about eight years ago. He was born five miles north of Alma, and with the exception of five years, was a lifelong resident of Crawford County. He would have been 80 next Jan. 20.
He was an active member of the Church of Christ, and also was active in civic affairs.
Survivors are his wife (India A.); one son, Edward Ford, Alma; two daughters, Mrs. C. B. Brumley and Miss Eunice Ford, Alma; four grandchildren; four brothers, Ike Ford of Gallup, N.M., J. B. Ford of Monroe, Okla., Sam Ford of San Bernardino, Calif., and L. W. Ford of Poolville, Texas; and one sister, Mrs. Abbie Cook of Wagner, Okla.
The funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at the residence of Oakley Murphy, with the Edwards Funeral home of Fort Smith having charge of arrangements. Burial will be in Alma Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be: Active - Luther Bearden, Mack Bolding, Jim Wells, and Clarence Winburn, all mail carriers of the Alma post office, and William Farris and Henry Osborn. Honorary - L. S. Lewers, Griffin Bradley, W. B. Owen, Henry Weese and Walter Byars.
Mr. Ford served rural route No. 1 for more than 27 years, retiring about eight years ago. He was born five miles north of Alma, and with the exception of five years, was a lifelong resident of Crawford County. He would have been 80 next Jan. 20.
He was an active member of the Church of Christ, and also was active in civic affairs.
Survivors are his wife (India A.); one son, Edward Ford, Alma; two daughters, Mrs. C. B. Brumley and Miss Eunice Ford, Alma; four grandchildren; four brothers, Ike Ford of Gallup, N.M., J. B. Ford of Monroe, Okla., Sam Ford of San Bernardino, Calif., and L. W. Ford of Poolville, Texas; and one sister, Mrs. Abbie Cook of Wagner, Okla.
The funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at the residence of Oakley Murphy, with the Edwards Funeral home of Fort Smith having charge of arrangements. Burial will be in Alma Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be: Active - Luther Bearden, Mack Bolding, Jim Wells, and Clarence Winburn, all mail carriers of the Alma post office, and William Farris and Henry Osborn. Honorary - L. S. Lewers, Griffin Bradley, W. B. Owen, Henry Weese and Walter Byars.
Joe Ford, 79 years old, the first regular rural mail carrier to serve a route from Alma, died suddenly at 4:30 p.m. Friday at his home, after a two day illness. Mr. Ford had been able to sit up in the afternoon, and suffered a heart attack after lying down to rest.
Mr. Ford served rural route No. 1 for more than 27 years, retiring about eight years ago. He was born five miles north of Alma, and with the exception of five years, was a lifelong resident of Crawford County. He would have been 80 next Jan. 20.
He was an active member of the Church of Christ, and also was active in civic affairs.
Survivors are his wife (India A.); one son, Edward Ford, Alma; two daughters, Mrs. C. B. Brumley and Miss Eunice Ford, Alma; four grandchildren; four brothers, Ike Ford of Gallup, N.M., J. B. Ford of Monroe, Okla., Sam Ford of San Bernardino, Calif., and L. W. Ford of Poolville, Texas; and one sister, Mrs. Abbie Cook of Wagner, Okla.
The funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at the residence of Oakley Murphy, with the Edwards Funeral home of Fort Smith having charge of arrangements. Burial will be in Alma Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be: Active - Luther Bearden, Mack Bolding, Jim Wells, and Clarence Winburn, all mail carriers of the Alma post office, and William Farris and Henry Osborn. Honorary - L. S. Lewers, Griffin Bradley, W. B. Owen, Henry Weese and Walter Byars.
Mr. Ford served rural route No. 1 for more than 27 years, retiring about eight years ago. He was born five miles north of Alma, and with the exception of five years, was a lifelong resident of Crawford County. He would have been 80 next Jan. 20.
He was an active member of the Church of Christ, and also was active in civic affairs.
Survivors are his wife (India A.); one son, Edward Ford, Alma; two daughters, Mrs. C. B. Brumley and Miss Eunice Ford, Alma; four grandchildren; four brothers, Ike Ford of Gallup, N.M., J. B. Ford of Monroe, Okla., Sam Ford of San Bernardino, Calif., and L. W. Ford of Poolville, Texas; and one sister, Mrs. Abbie Cook of Wagner, Okla.
The funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at the residence of Oakley Murphy, with the Edwards Funeral home of Fort Smith having charge of arrangements. Burial will be in Alma Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be: Active - Luther Bearden, Mack Bolding, Jim Wells, and Clarence Winburn, all mail carriers of the Alma post office, and William Farris and Henry Osborn. Honorary - L. S. Lewers, Griffin Bradley, W. B. Owen, Henry Weese and Walter Byars.
Gravesite Details
Son of Moses & Elizabeth Freeman James Ford; Husband of India Adeline Martin Ford; father of Lois Virginia, Thomas Cargile, Eunice Elizabeth, and Joseph Edward "Penny" Ford; mailman for Alma del'd mail driving a horse drawn buggy; mayor of Alma
Family Members
Siblings
