"God bless the Ford family. You will all be in my thoughts & prayers. Cheryl fit in the Ford family perfectly. I can only imagine how much she will be missed! My deepest sympathy to her family.???"
In loving memory of
Cheryl E. Ford
January 24, 1947 - July 21, 2018
Everyone who knew Cheryl E. Ford fell in love with her. She was kind, sweet and patient. Cheryl was always there to help anyone who asked and out of everything, her family meant the most to her, and they all knew it.
With WWII ending the year prior, 1947 saw a high demand of consumer goods and the auto industry was in high production of new cars. This year saw some of the most significant inventions that would impact lives for many years to come including the Transistor and the mobile phone. With many of the service men and women returning home from war, much of American households were welcoming new babies into their hearts and homes. Amongst these families were Wendell and Doris (Evilsizer) Bowlin and on January 24, 1947 in Du Quoin, Illinois, Cheryl Bowlin was born.
At a young age her family moved to the west side of rural Allen County in Indiana and she attended Aboite Elementary. While growing up, she enjoyed the time getting away from the chores to be with her dad as they would go hunting and fishing. She joked later in life that she was brought along to help row the boat for her father. While attending Arcola High School, Cheryl was involved with playing basketball and volleyball. It was also there that she met a young gentleman that would change her life forever and would date for three years. She graduated with the Class of 1965 and on May 29, 1965, she and Lee Ford were married at the Dunfee Christian Church.
For 30 years, she worked for North American Van Lines in Fort Wayne. In 1997, she and Lee moved to the Columbia City area. Cheryl had been a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, Lake Township in Allen County. While her children, Tamra, Laura and Sarah were growing up, she had been a Girl Scout Leader.
Even though Cheryl liked staying at her home, she also enjoyed traveling and visiting places like Las Vegas, the New England area, Florida, Michigan and visiting her family in Illinois. Out of everything that Cheryl did, she loved being with her family the most and adored her five grandchildren.
In her free time, she found relaxation in her flower gardens at her home which she was very proud of. She enjoyed watching the hummingbirds fly around her home and they enjoyed the feeders that she put out for them. While her children were growing up, she was a great seamstress, sewing many pajamas and Halloween costumes for her three girls.
At 3:35 p.m. on Saturday, July 21, 2018, Cheryl's family was forever changed when she passed away after a brief illness at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne at the age of 71. She is survived by her loving husband of 53 years, Lee Ford; daughters, Tamra (Jay) Minch, Laura Tomlinson and Sarah Cronin, all of Fort Wayne; father, Wendell Bowlin, of Sesser, Illinois; siblings, Kenny (Lou) Bowlin, of Sesser, Illinois, Relda (Sam) Guthrie, of Edgewood, Illinois, Gary (Jaxine) Bowlin, of Sesser, Illinois and Brian (MaLynda) Bowlin, of Valier, Illinois; and five grandchildren, Dakota Schaefer, Emma Schaefer, Kiana Minch, Darcy Cronin and Jesse Dillow. She was preceded in death by her mother, Doris Bowlin.
Visitation is 2-7 p.m. Wednesday, July 25, 2018 at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home with visitation one hour prior. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be given in her memory to St. John's Lutheran Church, Lake Township. Visit www.demoneygrimes.com to send her family condolences online.
Tributes
"So sorry to hear of your loss,Lee. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. With Sympathy Shirley Blessing Caffee"
"I am very very sad to hear of Cheryl's passing. She was just about the sweetest lady I've ever known. Very kind and considerate, even when playing dominoes. My heartfelt prayers go out the her family. Rest in peace Cheryl. Heaven just got alot brighter with you there."
"I remember Cheryl from my early days in grade school all through senior year and then seeing her at the Ford family functions. She was the one lady that always held her head high and emulated grace to everyone around. Praying the entire family may heal and the loss of her will be temporary with knowing she is looking down pain free with God by her side."
"Gods Blessings to Tammy and family. Rick, Dawn , Natalie and Christa Linnemeier "
"Lee and family so sorry for your loss Cheryl was a special lady and you all are in my thoughts and prayers. Heaven just got a new angel for sure. Please accept my deepest sympathy."
"Lee I'm so heartbroken for you and your family. Cheryl was an amazing woman for the time I got to know her! You and your family are on our thoughts and prayers! We sure will miss her beautiful smile and her spunk every time we seen her. Hugs, Dani and Becky"
"I am so very sorry for your loss, I was very saddened to hear of Cheryl's passing. I worked with Cheryl in the Safety Dept at North American for many years, she was always very kind and always willing to help with anything I might have had a questions on. She was also a wonderful cook, we all benefitted from that whenever we had snack days and/or carry ins. My favorite recipe, and I still tell people who ask to this day it was hers, was her chicken salad. Every time I make it I think of her...you have my deepest sympathy and will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers. God Bless, Lori Hart"
"We deeply loved and admired Cheryl. She was such a wonderful person to her family friends and community. She was strong, thoughtful, kind and loving. We will miss you Cheryl and we love you. Peace be with you our precious one. Our prayers go out to all how mourn her loss."
"Thinking of your family in the loss of this special lady. Praying that God will carry you thru your greiving."
"May each of you find courage to face tomorrow as you rest in the knowledge that we truly care about each of your needs and that we will walk beside you in your journey of grief. Randy Grimes, Brett Gerber and the Staff of DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home "