Mary Helen Ford's Obituary
Mary Helen Ford was born on January 26, 1928 in Syracuse, New York to Henry A. Scherr and Mary L. Kehoe. She passed away peacefully on October 5, 2018. She is preceded in death by her husband, John Lynch Ford, and her parents. She is survived by her two sons, Christopher Ford (wife, Betsy) and Patrick Ford (wife, Cindy); one daughter, Mary Ann Barnett (husband, Frank); five grandchildren, Alexandra Ford, Mitch Ford, Erin Barnett, Spencer Barnett, and Sean Barnett; and one nephew, Spencer Hallett. As a child in Syracuse, she enjoyed music, including piano and Glee Club, as well as riding Saddlebred horses at the National Guard Armory, where her father served. After graduating from Eastwood High School in Syracuse, she worked for General Electric as a secretary and enjoyed taking top honors in the GE Girl’s Bowling tournaments. Even though she knew how to ride horses, she signed up for lessons taught by a young GE Engineer from Texas, John Ford, and fell in love. Mary Helen married John at St. John Catholic Church on October 21, 1950 (her parent’s 25th wedding anniversary) and they moved to a farm in Weatherford, Texas, where she also fell in love with the Lone Star State, wide open spaces, and Black Angus cattle. After several moves with GE back to New York, Florida, and then back to New York, they later moved to Richardson, Texas. She was an active member at St. Paul Catholic Church and, later, a founding member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, also in Richardson. She served in multiple capacities at the church, finally as CCD Director at St. Joseph for more than 10 years. She loved sports (baseball and boxing) travel and animals; especially horses and dogs. She was also an avid seamstress, making outfits for all her children and participating in a large sewing group in her Richardson neighborhood, even learning to upholster car seats for her sons’ projects. She was a loving mother and encouraged all of her children’s hobbies, including old cars, model trains, and horses. Donations in lieu of flowers are requested to the ASPCA or Faith Presbyterian Hospice Caring Fund. Funeral and Reception will be at St. Monica Catholic Church at 9933 Midway Road, Dallas at 11 am on Friday, October 12, 2018, with interment after at Restland.Funeral Arrangements for Mary Helen Ford have been faithfully entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Cemetery, located at 13005 Greenville Ave., at the intersection of Restland Rd., Dallas, Texas, 75243. For additional information, please call (972) 238-7111
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