Jeanne Ford

JEANNE E. FORD

Dubuque

Jeanne E. Ford, 86, of Dubuque, died peacefully Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017, at Stonehill Care Center, surrounded by her loving family. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, at Church of the Resurrection. Entombment will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery. Friends may call from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, at Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 John F. Kennedy Rd., Dubuque, where a wake service will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Jeanne was born Feb. 27, 1930, in Madison, Wis., the daughter of John and Nell (Nolan) Flad. She was the youngest of seven children. She grew up in Madison, where she enjoyed swimming in Lake Mendota with her brothers and sister and playing on the ski hill near her home. She graduated from Edgewood High School in 1948. She attended Clarke College, Dubuque, and the New York School of Interior Design, graduating in 1952. She then worked for a short time as an interior decorator in Madison. While at Clarke, she met her future husband, Richard Ford, who was a student at Loras College. They married on Jan. 3, 1953, at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Madison, Wis.

Jeanne and Dick then moved to the farm north of Mason City, where they lived until 1972, raising seven children. While Dad farmed and worked as a USDA meat inspector, Mom kept things running smoothly at home. They moved the family to Mason City in 1972 and lived there until 1977, when they moved to Dubuque. She was a gifted seamstress and made many dresses for her girls. She was a devoted mother who kept us well fed and loved. She went to countless sporting events, recitals and other activities her children were involved in. Her family and her Catholic faith were important to her, as were her many good friends over the years.

In her later years, she and Dick enjoyed wonderful trips to Ireland and Israel with friends, as well as traveling and visiting their siblings and friends across the country. Jeanne was fun-loving and had a good sense of humor. She loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We will miss her dearly.

Surviving are her children, Pat (Lynn) Ford of Dubuque, Katy Voet (Jeff Hegwer) of Mason City, Jim (Joy) Ford of Ankeny, John (Susan) Ford of Austin, Texas, Jane (John) Dolter of Dubuque and Sara (Dale) Todd of Cedar Rapids; nine grandchildren, Michael (Marie) Voet, Liz (Sean) Stephens, Joe (Kelsey) Ford, Karl (Mallory) Dolter, Kristina Dolter, Dillon Ford, Ali and Katie Ford and Adam Todd; six great-grandchildren, Morgan, Aubrey and Ben Voet, Jake Ford, Norah and Leo Ford; sister-in-law, Pat Flad of Madison; brothers-in-law, Bernard (Joyce) Ford of Orange Park, Fla., Joe (Mary Ann) Ford of Carmel, Calif., and Gerald Ascher of Minneapolis; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Dick, in 2006; daughter, Paula, in 2010; her parents; and siblings, Tom, Paul, John, Joe, Jim and Mary; and several sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.

For more information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.egelhofsiegertcasper.com.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Dubuque, The Arc of East Central Iowa or CURE (Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy).

The family would like to extend our gratitude to Hospice of Dubuque, especially Lindsey and Alicia, and the staff at Stonehill who cared for her with love and compassion and enjoyed her sense of humor.