SMSgt. John I. Ford

SMSgt. John I. Ford Sr., known to friends and family as J.I. and TIP, passed away December the 24th at age 83. He was born in Buffalo, S.C.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Meta Sue Ford, parents, Dolman Austin Ford and Beunie Mae Ford, and brother, William Milburn Ford.
He is survived by his wife Voncile Broome Ford, his children, John I. Ford, Jr. (Denise), Donald Allen Ford (Lynn), Karla Kay Bevlin (Robert), step children, Donna Kay Iler (Eddie) and Ginny Lynn Edwards; brother, Perry Lewis Ford; sisters, Nettie Mae Ford, Shirley Josephine Ford, Millie Cecile Ford; 10 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren .
After 27 years of travel and adventure in the United States Air Force, Senior Master Sergeant John Ford retired in 1975. His assignments carried him to many places including stations in Asia, Europe, the Mid-East, and in the United States. His duties, like his station assignments, were many covering several career fields: administration, education, electronics, food service, medical, personnel, and supply. His jobs included being Administration Officer, Electronic Education Branch Chief, Career Counselor, and Electronic Maintenance Instructor/Technician/Superintendent, Inspector (Maintenance and Supply), and Instructor of First Aid Survival, a Program Analyst, and a Supervisor of many functions. He was awarded the rating of Master Instructor by the Air Force. SMSgt. Ford was a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Upon retiring from the Air Force, Sergeant Ford held positions on the Gulf Coast with Civil Service, Naval Claims, the Space Center, and Veterans Administration. He moved to Columbia, SC and worked as a Maintenance Manager/Superintendent prior to moving to Alamance County to work at Western High School with AFJROTC.
Teaching always came naturally to SMSgt. Ford who received his B.S. degree in Education from The University of Southern Mississippi.
SMSgt. Ford spent much of his free time serving the community. He has worked with little league baseball and church youth groups. He organized a Boy Scout Troop for which he served as troop master. He also belonged to groups such as the Civitans, the Masons, Scottish Rite and the Shriners.
Mr. Ford enjoyed square dancing, belonging to Belles and Buoys square dance club. He was a member of Beauvoir United Methodist Church.
He will be missed by family and friends he loved and who loved him.
The funeral service will be 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 30, 2014 at RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME in Biloxi, where friends may visit from 11:00 a.m. until the service. Interment will follow in Biloxi National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Beauvoir United Methodist Church, 2113 Pass Road, Biloxi, MS 39531.