William Ford

WILLIAM FORD

Iowa City

William Ford, who was diagnosed with metastatic cancer in October 2013, passed away April 28, 2016, in the hospice unit at Mercy Iowa City.

William Dennis Ford was born July 15, 1939, in Mount Vernon, Wash., to William and Nancy Boynton Ford. Bill grew up in the Los Angeles area. He served as private first class in the U.S. Army, serving at the 5th Army headquarters in Chicago from 1961 to 1963. He received his B.A. in American history from Occidental College and then completed his graduate work at the University of Iowa where he received his M.A. in English, an M.F.A. in creative writing at the Writer's Workshop and his Ph.D. in modern letters. Bill enjoyed a teaching career, first as a tenured professor of English at Lycoming College in Pennsylvania and then as an adjunct professor at the University of Iowa, Coe College and Kirkwood Community College.

He married Elizabeth Ann Furnish on Aug. 20, 1967, in Iowa City. They celebrated 48 years of marriage. His memory is dear to many, especially his wife, two children and their spouses, Rebecca (Ian) Cavanaugh of Overland Park, Kan., and Samuel (Tricia Bloom) Ford of Richmond, Va. In addition to Bill's brother, Mark L. Ford of Kennewick, Wash., he is remembered by his three grandchildren, Annabelle Cavanaugh, Shelby Ford and William Ford.

All of us love him greatly and feel joy that he no longer suffers on his long and courageous medical journey.

We will miss his wisdom, his gentle sense of humor, his strong sense of Christian duty, decorum, his love of jazz, his passion for sports, his lifelong relationship with many forms of the written word and his fondness for pie. Iowa City Hospice and its staff members have been such friends to Bill and Ann. Bill and Ann, who have been active members of Saint Andrew Presbyterian Church since 1984, celebrated his life and 75th birthday last summer there with friends. He served as an elder and teacher. He was a leader in the Stephen Ministry, and was a faithful member of the Tuesday morning men's breakfast brotherhood.

There will be a memorial service at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 29, at First Presbyterian Church in Iowa City. Donations may be given in his memory to Iowa City Hospice or Saint Andrew Presbyterian Church. True to Bill's life on this earth as a teacher, he gifted his physical body to science as his way for others to learn! Online condolences may be sent for his family through the funeral home website at www.gayandciha.com.