Virginia F. Ford

Virginia Ford was born Dec. 23, 1920 in Dallas Texas, to Maude West and Charles Pringle Thompson. Born Virginia Francis Thompson, her mother was a Realtor, her father an attorney. She passed on Jan. 31, 2017 in Dallas. Her life: As an infant, she won a "most beautiful baby" contest, sponsored by a Dallas department store. As a young lady she loved visiting the farm of her grandparents Owen and Emma West. They were pioneers who settled near Tolar, Texas. This old way of life enchanted her, and she would later recount the stories to her children. She loved her childhood cats, Schubert and Skittercat among them. She attended Dallas schools, graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1938. She attended SMU and North Texas State, before receiving a music scholarship to Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene. She graduated with a degree in piano and voice, accompanist all the while to many musicians there. She taught school in Merkel, Texas after graduation. She returned to Dallas and worked at Love Field during WWII for a short time, but also worked in that era at Whittle's Music downtown where she played piano in the front window for shoppers and passersby. She would sightread the sheet music that customers would bring her in the store, in hopes they would buy it if they liked the arrangement, or liked her embellishments to it. There she learned the Great American Songbook by heart, and later could play them all by ear in a beautiful arpeggiated piano style. She married Robert Emmet Ford, a Dallas journalist and author, in 1947. They enjoyed a wonderful marriage. Bob passed in 1975, and mom was so strong afterwards. In her younger days she played piano and organ at various East Dallas and Abilene churches. and when visiting family in Granbury, Decatur, Greenville and Seymour, Texas, she might be called upon to be vocal soloist at the local church. She was the first popular-music teacher in Dallas, beginning in the 1960s. Students would learn basic piano and voice skills with an eye to playing the pop songs of the day from sheet music. The local kids and adults would come to her home for private lessons, so her living room on Greenbrier Drive was always filled with music. She taught through the end of the 70s. She was a member in longstanding at Park Cities Baptist Church, Dallas, where she sang in choirs with her beautiful soprano voice. She was active in music clubs, including DMTA and Wednesday Morning Choral Club. She was an early member of the Tall Texans of Dallas club. She was beloved, and loved her many friends over the years, including her neighbors at Park de Ville condos, where she was a resident for 34 years. In later years she enjoyed watching British comedies, Fox News and Judge Judy, and Chick-fil-A was the ultimate gourmet meal. She was the kindest, sweetest and most joyful person her family has ever known, with the most loving smile. She was patient, modest, thrifty and orderly. She was generous and caring to the utmost, sacrificing so much for her family. She taught us new lessons in love every day, and never stopped being the best mom ever to her grown children. Her loud and easy laugh was contagious. Strangers would comment on her sweetness. You felt goodwill in her presence. Her place was always home to us. There was music in her voice when she spoke, music in her fingers, and music in her heart. She will be dearly missed. Mom we love you, and will always love you with all of our heart and soul. You were, and will always be, the greatest blessing of our lives. Thank you. The family hopes to post recordings of her piano playing on YouTube sometime in the future. She is survived by her two children, Garry Emmet Ford and Brian West Ford, both of Dallas. She was close to cousins Ted Carney of Bastrop, Texas; Carolyn Carney of Fort Worth, Rachael Quitta of Austin, Mary George Hesse of Fort Worth, and Louise Turnpenny of Toronto, Canada. The service will be graveside with immediate family.

Sparkman Richardson Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.