Eloise Ford, 94


Funeral services for Eloise Ford, 94, of Springfield will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 22, 2014, at the Clinkingbeard Funeral Home chapel in Gainesville, MO with Pastor Marshall Larson of Gainesville First Christian Church officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday afternoon from 1 p.m. to service time. Mrs. Ford died July 20 at Christian Health and Rehab in Springfield.

She was born April 7, 1920, the daughter of Robert Otis Gilliland and Ara Pearl Luna Gilliland in a little house on the Gainesville square where Century Bank of the Ozarks is located now. On June 25, 1937, she married Walton Ford.

Mrs. Ford graduated from Gainesville High School and worked for the Bank of Gainesville for 25 years. Another 25 years was spent taking care of patients in Methodist Manor in Marionville. After suffering a severe stroke in 1999, she moved into Christian Health and Rehab in Springfield. The stroke damaged her body but not her strong mind and spirit. The family extends thanks to the Christian Health and Rehab East employees who took wonderful care of her and became her adopted family for 15 years.

Mrs. Ford was a life-long member of the First Christian Church in Gainesville and always had a heart for Ozark County. Her first love was always her family. The family will miss her very much and will cherish the many memories.

Survivors include her three daughters, Judy Lyons and husband Charlie of Springfield, Debbie Kinser of Lenexa, Kansas, and Tina Barham and husband Tom of Halfway; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; nephews and nieces; cousins and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband and her parents; her sister, Marie Gilliland Worman; and her brother, Joe Dexter Gilliland.

Burial will be in Gainesville Cemetery.
Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Gainesville, MO directors.