Robert 'Bob' Ford

ROBERT E. "BOB" FORD

Cedar Rapids

Robert E. "Bob" Ford died Sunday, March 29, 2020, at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids from complications of chronic heart disease. Services are private. Burial will take place at Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery. Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. A funeral Mass will be held at a later date at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids.

He was born Oct. 22, 1925, in Cedar Rapids, the son of Patrick and Mabel (O'Hanlon) Ford. He married Arlis A. Kirsch on June 9, 1951, in Charles City, Iowa.

Bob graduated from St. Patrick's High School in Cedar Rapids, attended Coe College and the University of Iowa as an undergraduate student, and graduated from the University of Iowa Law School in 1952. He practiced law in Cedar Rapids for 25 years and then accepted an appointment by the Iowa governor to serve as an Iowa district court judge. He served nine years in this capacity as assistant chief judge. After his retirement, he returned to practice law as a member of the law firm, Klinger, Robinson and Ford. He was also a charter member of the board of directors of the United Security Savings Bank in Cedar Rapids.

Bob served his country during World War II in the U.S. Navy. He served for three years as a radioman second class in the Pacific Theater. After the Japanese surrender, he was assigned to the Port Director Unit at Nagoya, Japan, until he returned home and was honorably discharged from the Navy.

Bob spent most of his life helping others in their time of need. He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 788, Disabled American Veterans, Knights of Columbus, Elks Club, Linn County Bar Association and Board of Governors Iowa State Bar Association. He was chairman of the Cedar Rapids Riverfront Improvement Commission for many years. He also was president of the St. Jude Parish School Board, Coe College Alumni Council and the Iowa State Bar Foundation.

Bob was an avid fisherman and the family put many miles on their fishing boat. The family had a retirement home on a northern Minnesota lake for many years. Bob and Arlis traveled a lot, making several trips to Europe and one to Ireland as well as winters in their home in Sun City West, Ariz.

Please leave a message for the family on our webpage www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.

Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Arlis Ford; his children, Jeffrey (Vicki) Ford of Dallas, Texas, Patrick Ford of Cedar Rapids, David (Melinda) Ford of Onalaska, Wis., Jennie (Jim) Ward of Mankato, Minn., Edward Ford of Lake Shore, Wis., and Elizabeth (Jack Klapper) Ford of Tipton. Also surviving are four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Donald Ford and Gene Ford.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Alzheimer's Association.