Dean Ford

Dean Crites Ford, 89, of Oak Ridge died Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Oct. 27, 1919, in Oak Ridge, son of Lloyd and Arta Annice Crites Ford. He and Mary Dee Fronabarger were married June 30, 1940, in Oran, Mo.

Ford was a 1937 graduate of New Franklin High School and played on the basketball team.

He farmed in Oak Ridge all his life. He was a member of First Baptist Church, taught Sunday school, and was church treasurer. He was an avid deer, turkey and quail hunter.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, Gary Dean (Jerry) Ford of Poplar Bluff, Mo., Lloyd Lee (Joan) Ford of Anderson, Ind.; five grandchildren, Debbie (Jeff) Woodsmall and children Mallory and Colton of Poplar Bluff, Greg (Holly) Ford and children Nicklaus and Rehana of Paducah, Ky., Robert (Tina) Ford and children Shelby and Abby of Alexandria, Ind., Eric (Jama) Ford and children Jonathon, Gavin and MaKenna of Lafayette, Ind., and Kim (Bill) Oliver and son Eathon of Noblesville, Ind.

He was preceded in death by a brother and a sister.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Jon Sedgwick officiating. Burial will be in Cape County Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church in Oak Ridge.