James Allen Ford

James Allen Jim Ford, a humble, warm, generous and uncomplicated man of great inner goodness and strength, passed away on Friday, April 21, 2006 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after a valiant battle with cancer. He was born the youngest of seven siblings on July 8, 1917, in Wauneta, Nebraska, to Thomas Allen and Minnie Skinner Ford. He was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved sweetheart and wife of 64 years, Margaret Ofner Ford, originally from San Antonio; and also his four brothers, Thomas, Robert, and George, all of San Antonio, and John, Kilgore, Texas; and his two sisters, Gertrude of San Antonio and Bessy of Hamilton, Missouri.

Jim is survived by three children and six grandchildren: son James Ross Ford and his wife, Camilla Porter Ford, Baton Rouge, their daughter, Kristin Rachelle Ford, Jersey City, New Jersey, and son, Ross Jameson Ford, Baton Rouge; daughter Linda Virginia Ford, Winslow, Arkansas, and her daughters, Jayme Looper Granrud, Yorkville, Illinois, and Ivy Elizabeth Baremore, Gainesville, Florida; and daughter, Janice Faye Ford, Fairfax, Virginia, and her two daughters, Amanda Michelle Lyle, Kansas City, Missouri, and Brooke Renée Lyle, Atlanta, Georgia.

Ford's family settled in San Antonio in 1928. He met his sweetheart at and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1936. He received a Chemical Engineering degree and commission in the US Army from Texas A&M in 1940. He trained with the 343rd Artillery Battalion of the famed 90th Infantry Division, the "Tough 'Ombres", a division composed exclusively of reserve units from Texas and Oklahoma. He participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, and fought with his unit across France and into Germany, seeing action in the "Battle of the Bulge". As a fire direction officer attached to infantry units, he was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry by repeatedly subjecting himself to enemy fire while setting up forward observation posts and directing artillery fire. He was also awarded two Bronze Stars. He served for 27 years in the Army Reserves and retired with the rank of Colonel.

Discharged from active duty in 1945, he began his professional career in the Texas oil patch with Magnolia Petroleum Company in Alice, Texas, and continued his career with Hudson Engineering in Shreveport, Louisiana. He served as President of the Gas Processors Association and was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He ended his career as Senior Vice President of Dorchester Gas Corporation, Dallas. He and Margaret retired in 1982 to their beloved Hill Country in Horseshoe Bay, where they enjoyed wonderful years of golf and partying with their many close friends. He was an active member and major benefactor of St. Paul Catholic Chapel in Horseshoe Bay. He was one of the greatest of the "Greatest Generation" and will be missed by family and friends.

The family will welcome friends at Mr. Ford's home in Horseshoe Bay on Monday, April 24th.