Wayne B. Ford

Wayne B. Ford, born February 22, 1941, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to the late Harrison Ford and Mildred (Uhlmansiek) Ford, passed away peacefully at his home in Gahanna, Ohio, on February 20, 2026—just two days shy of his 85th birthday.

Wayne graduated from Anderson High School in Cincinnati in 1959 and went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. He later became a licensed Professional Engineer. After moving to California to begin his engineering career, he returned to Ohio to serve as an engineer with the Ohio Department of Transportation in Environmental Services, where he was highly regarded for his knowledge and dedication.

Wayne was a Life Member of the Auxiliary at VFW Post 9857, where he enjoyed talking with friends, drinking a cold beer, and trying his luck on the slot machines. He was a big gambler at heart and played slots in Las Vegas, Mississippi, Indiana, and Columbus.

He had a love for nature and especially enjoyed working on his bonsai trees. A true collector at heart, Wayne appreciated Japanese art of all kinds and took particular pride in his collection of Japanese swords. He was also quite the “shoe guy” and was affectionately nicknamed “Brown Shoes” at ODOT. Wayne enjoyed looking sharp—he was known for dressing well and even manicuring his own fingernails better than some nail technicians.

A lover of words and puzzles, Wayne spent hours working on crosswords, sudoku, and jigsaw puzzles. In retirement, he became especially fond of playing his “Spider” solitaire game on the computer. He also enjoyed cooking and sharing meals with those he loved.

Wayne was a quiet man, but when he spoke, you listened. His words were often wise, important, or hysterically funny. His family and friends cherished his stories, his insight, and his unmistakable sense of humor.

Tamara, his beloved wife, will deeply miss his daily question of “Any stories?” She will miss his cooking, their trips to gamble together, and especially their quiet moments snuggling at the end of the day. His buddies at the VFW will miss sharing beers and laughter with him. His children and grandchildren will forever miss his stories, wisdom, and laughter.

Wayne is survived by his loving wife, Tamara Spann-Ford; his children Brenda Worley (Mark), Sandy Langford (Bill), Lance Ford (Helena), Heather Querry (Don), and Cassandra Lutes (Eric Post); his grandchildren Dylan, Kayla, Hanna, Josh, Kolten, Manny, Grant, and Ben; his sisters Alice and Sarah; his brother Ralph; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, April 12, at Schoedinger Northeast Funeral Home, 1051 E Johnstown Road, Gahanna, OH 43230, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with Wayne’s memorial service beginning at 12:30 p.m.

The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to Mt. Carmel Hospice for their compassionate care, especially Dory, his bath aide—she is truly an angel.