On Thursday, August 4th, 2022, Cheryl Beckstead Ford, beloved wife, daughter, sister, mother, and grandmother, concluded her valiant mortal existence and returned to a warm welcome from her Heavenly and earthly parents and other deceased family members.
She is survived by her loving husband, Clyde; her children Derek (Jenn), Stacey (Taylor Petrey), James (Jessie), Scott, Rebecca (Matt) Shipley, and Matt; 13 grandchildren; brothers Merrill (Nannette) and Leo (Lorene); sister Judy Billeter Dunford; sister-in-law Carolyn Bettinger Boies; and many cherished nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by a son (John Gregory); parents Vera Leone Wheeler Beckstead and Merrill Hyrum “Jake” Beckstead; sisters Leone Chipman and Diane Berntsen; brothers-in-law Les Chipman, J. David “Bud” Billeter, David Dunford, and Mike Berntsen; and several nieces and nephews.
Cheryl was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 2, 1944. She grew up in a very close, loving, and encouraging family, although there were challenges, especially following the unexpected death of her father in 1958. Cheryl graduated from East High School in 1962 and the University of Utah in 1968. After graduation she taught at West High School, where she especially enjoyed being the Pep Club sponsor.
During this time, this beautiful vivacious woman with fiery red hair couldn’t help but catch the attention of a young medical student named Clyde Ford. In 1970 Cheryl and Clyde were married in the Salt Lake Temple. Over the next 52 happy years together they welcomed 7 children and 13 grandchildren.
Cheryl had a great love for and acceptance of everyone she met. She enjoyed and excelled in a wide variety of interests. She loved sports and was an avid New York Yankees fan; next to Clyde, her greatest loves were Mickey Mantle and Derek Jeter. Cheryl loved music, singing, dancing, traveling, and compassionate and community service. She had a special gift for leadership, visionary management, and close personal relations, which resulted in frequent requests to lead a ward, stake, or community organization; some favorite activities included PTA President (twice), Lambda Delta Sigma sorority advisor at the University of Utah, and Read Today organizer at William Penn Elementary. She was a lifelong faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and especially enjoyed her service as a full-time missionary with her husband. Cheryl’s warm smile, frequent hugs, flowers, meals, visits, and kind words will be missed by many.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Ronald McDonald house, a charity Cheryl loved and supported.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 6th at 10:00AM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 2125 E Evergreen Ave (3435 S), Millcreek, UT, 84106. The funeral will also be broadcast via YouTube https://youtu.be/q_W51JdZgtA. Due to Covid no viewing is planned.
