William Lawrence 'Bill' Ford, Sr., 09 Nov 1955 - 15 Jun 2024

FORD, HOWARD, AVIS, BERG, RATCLIFF, DREXLER, DUKE, ONMEN, SCHOCK

Posted By: Sarah Witte (email)
Date: 6/20/2024 at 15:10:56

William “Bill” Lawrence Ford, Sr., 68, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, June 15, 2024, at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids. The family will greet friends from 5 - 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Marion. A Funeral Service will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 20, 2024, at the funeral home, with certified celebrant, Amy Hart, officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at Spring Grove Cemetery in rural Coggon, Iowa.

Bill was born on November 9, 1955, in New Hampton, Iowa, the son of Edgar Lawrence and Georgianna (Howard) Ford. On September 5, 1992, Bill was reunited in marriage to Wanda Kay Avis at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. He served honorably in the United States Army before joining the Iowa Army National Guard, where he served 20 years, before retirement. In addition, Bill was a bus driver for the Cedar Rapids Transit Department for 33 years. He loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. Bill will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Bill is survived and lovingly remembered by his four children, Wyomi “Amanda” (Eric) Ford of Cedar Rapids, Waukima “Kima” (Allen) Berg of Medina, Ohio, William “Will” Ford Jr. of Cedar Rapids, and Wade Avis of Cedar Rapids; eight grandchildren, Vincent, Tahya, and Jayde, Alex, Aaron, and Emma, and Spencer and Blaysden; three great-grandchildren, Annabelle, Jordan, and Maverick; siblings, Pat (Charlie) Ratliff of Central City, Iowa, Jim (Robbie) Ford of Marengo, Iowa, Deb (Ron) Drexler of Coggon, Iowa, Carl “Red” Duke of Dysart, Iowa, Pam (Scott) Onnen of Shellsburg, Iowa, and Linda (Richardt) Schock of Bismark, North Dakota; and a host of extended family members including nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Wanda Ford.

Please share a memory of Bill at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.

Published in The Gazette on June 18, 2024.