Brothers,
It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that Brother Morris Ford ’75, has unexpectedly passed away under tragic circumstances.
A reception and memorial service for Captain Mo Ford have been planned as follows:
Location:
Matthews United Methodist Church
801 S. Trade St., Matthews, NC 28105
704-847-6261
For directions:
www.matthewsumc.org
Date: Saturday, June 5th
Time: Reception – 10:30 -11:30 AM
Memorial Service – 11:30-12:30
Interment:
Arlington National Cemetery
214 McNair Road
Fort Myer, VA 22211-1304
(703) 697-5187
www.arlingtoncemetary.org
Date: TBD
Obituary as posted in the Charlotte Observer:
Morris Ford
‘Mo’
Mr. Ford, a retired Naval Officer and US Airways pilot, died at his home in south Charlotte early Wednesday, June 2, 2010. He was 57 years old. Morris was born to Dr. J.T. and Mary Helen Ford, February 8, 1953 in Birmingham, Alabama.
Mo spent his childhood in Atlanta, Georgia and Alexandria, Virginia. His passion for flying developed as a young student watching planes from his classroom window seat growing up near the Nation’s capital. Upon graduation from Embry-Riddle University in Daytona Beach Florida, he began his career as an officer in the United States Navy. Hired in 1982 by US Airways, Mo served as both a pilot and a flight instructor. He considered his legacy of teaching other pilots over his 28 year career his greatest accomplishment with the organization he so passionately loved. He was also a devoted Sigma Chi belonging to the Eta Iota chapter at Embry-Riddle.
During his 20 years of military service, he flew P-3s as a Soviet submarine reconnaissance pilot, later transitioning to T-2 jets in Meridian, Mississippi. The final years of his Navy career were spent as a Blue and Gold recruiting officer for the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland.
Mo is survived by his wife of 25 years, Kathleen Jane Ford, along with his two daughters, 1LT Mary Ford, currently serving as a U.S. Army Officer in Afghanistan, and 2LT Paige Ford, who recently graduated from West Point. He is also survived by his parents, Dr. J. T. and Mary Helen Ford, brother Tom Ford and wife Pam, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
He is preceded in death by his brother, Warren Ford, Snellville, Georgia.
A memorial service will be held at Matthews United Methodist Church at 11:30 Saturday morning, June 5, 2010, preceded immediately with a visitation at 10:30.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to support Soldiers for the USO Support System at USO-Charlotte Center, 5501 Josh Birmingham Pkwy, PO Box 21, Charlotte, NC 28208 or Matthews United Methodist Church, 801 S. Trade St., Matthews, NC 28105.
Arrangements are in the care of Heritage Funeral Home, Weddington Chapel. An online guestbook is available at www.heritagefuneral.net.
Guestbooks:
Heritage Funeral Home (click on the guestbook link at the top of the obituary)
Please check the guestbook as a clearing house of who will be attending and other minute by minute updates
Post your own entry to provide additional information
What a profound eulogy, Art. Very well-said.
Very sad for all of us to lose such a good man.
In Hoc, my brothers.
eeeex
RE: Arlington Internment Date
Arlington Cemetery has a backlog of up to a couple of months! (longest for those being buried with full military honors.)
It is my understanding that this is the holdup.
I’ll pass along information as soon as I hear more.