Lillian Joan Singleton Ford went to be with her Lord and Savior on Jan. 25, 2013, in Loveland, Colo.
She was born in Seward, Alaska, on March 21, 1935, to Foster McMullen Singleton and Annie Mortensen-Horton.
She married T.A. “Cotton” Ford on May 30, 1957, in Lufkin. Being a coach’s wife meant many moves; and Lillian thrived in all the locations that Cotton’s job took them: Belleville, Overton, Big Sandy, Bonham, and lastly Greenville.
She graduated from Lufkin High School in 1953 and was the first female recipient of a Southland Paper Mill scholarship. She attended Austin College and Stephan F. Austin University where she earned a bachelor of science degree. She received her master’s in early childhood education from Texas A&M University at Commerce.
Music, education, and children were Lillian’s passion in life. She gave private piano lessons, directed church choirs and community choirs and sang in the Concert Chorus in Greenville and choirs with the Dallas Symphony. She organized and ran a kindergarten for First Baptist Church in Bonham. Lillian was involved in education for a total of 29 years, teaching music, kindergarten and serving for 20 years as a first grade teacher at Travis Elementary in Greenville.
Lillian was a member of the Retired Teachers Association as well as an active member of the Wesley Methodist Church in Greenville and recently the First United Methodist Church in Loveland, Colo. She enjoyed volunteering for the WIN and HOSTS programs in Greenville and Community Kitchen and the Care Task Force in Loveland.
Lillian is survived by sons Michael of Barcelona, Spain, Richard of Royse City, Daryl (Angela) of Arlington; daughter Kimberly (Jason) Caldwell of Loveland, Colo.; grandchildren Maci, Alison, Vincent (Kelli), Antonio, and Meaghan Ford, Brandi (Chuck) Wheeler, Ryan VanMeter, and Natalie Caldwell; great-grandchildren Mackenzie and Carly VanMeter; as well as numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Foster; and her husband, T.A. Ford.
The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in her memory to the T.A. Ford Memorial Scholarship c/o the Wesley Methodist Church in Greenville; or to the Community Kitchen in Loveland, Colo.
Words cannot express how deeply she will be missed.
A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Wesley United Methodist Church. Private interment will follow at DFW National Cemetery.
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Lillian Ford
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