Wilbur Ford Obituary

LT. COMMANDER WILBUR (Wil) S. FORD, 83 of Baldwin City, KS passed away Thursday, July 6, 2017 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Lawrence, KS.

He was born November 30, 1933 at Medicine Lodge, Kansas, the Son of John H. and Ethel (Carlisle) Ford. He grew up in Medicine Lodge Area and Graduated from Medicine Lodge High School in 1951. He then Graduated from Kansas State University in 1955.

Wilbur joined the United States Navy in 1955 as an Naval Aviator and had flown 8,000+ flight hours in 9 different types of aircraft. A great number of these flights flown were Classified Missions, meaning that he could not tell family or friends about the flights.

So when he was assigned with the Pacific Fleet Manned Spacecraft Recovery Team out of Hawaii, where he helped recover Astronauts from Apollo 9 thru Apollo 15 Moon Missions, he was able to talk about the Missions as they were unclassified.

He retired in 1975 at the Rank of Lt. Commander after faithfully serving his Country for twenty years.

On September 4, 1955 he was united in marriage to Lola (Hanson) Ford in Marquette, Kansas. They shared 61 years, 10 months and 2 days of marriage.

He enjoyed doing handyman work, wood carving and traveling throughout the Country/World with his wife, Lola. He loved spending time with his family, friends and especially his Grandchildren and Great Grandchild.

He is survived by his wife, Lola of the home; two daughters, Janet (Ford) Brown and her husband Craig Brown of Wellington, Kansas and Carolyn (Ford) Woodhead and her husband Rick Woodhead of Baldwin City, Kansas; one sister, Reba Stoner of Marion, Kansas; two brothers, Warren Ford and his wife Juanita of Wichita, Kansas and Kenneth Ford of Pratt, Kansas; four Grandchildren, Erin, Dustin, Cyndi and Ryan; and one Great Granddaughter, Bailey.

Commander Ford was preceded in death by his parents. Wilbur was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and brother. He was a patriot and valued and respected member of the Baldwin Community.

To Celebrate Wilbur's life a memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1245 New Hampshire, Lawrence, KS 66044. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, July 9, 2017 at Lamb-Roberts Funeral Home, 712 9th Street, Baldwin City, KS 66006. In lieu of flowers, family suggests memorials to American Heart Association or Trinity Lutheran Church. Condolences to the family may be sent through www.lamb-roberts.com.