Peggy Ford

Peggy A. Ford, died on April 2, 2009 at 9:58 A.M. after a long illness with multiple myeloma. Peggy was the daughter of Leslie Merrill and Myrtle (Simpson) Clark. She was born October 14, 1926 on South 13th Street in Lawrenceville, Illinois. On December 20, 1947 she married Marion C. Ford in Robinson, Illinois. To this union two sons and two daughters were born. Peggy was a graduate of Lawrenceville Township High School with the class of 1944. After being a stay-at-home mother for fifteen years Peggy returned to the work force and later entered Kaskaskia College graduating with an Associate Degree. She then enrolled at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and received her Bachelor of Science Degree in 1983, Masters Degree in Business Education in 1984, and she finished the course work toward a PhD from SIUC. Peggy was a born again Christian and a member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Marion, Illinois. After taking the basic lay speakers course and the advanced lay speakers course she continued taking religion classes at every opportunity. Peggy liked to write devotions, sermons, and childrens stories. She like speaking at different churches, Cache River District United Methodist Womens meetings, and Fountains Nursing Home about the Christian walk. During the winter months she volunteered at Resurrection House (a daytime place for the homeless) in Sarasota, Florida and the remaining months of the year she volunteered at The Lighthouse Shelter in Marion, Illinois. She leaved her husband Rev. Marion C. Ford, sons Jeffrey Merrill Ford and his wife Carrie of Newton, Illinois; James Ellis Ford of Troy, Illinois, daughters, Sally Jane Ford of Denton, Texas; and Nana Ford Koenegstein and her husband Vance of Dix, Illinois. She was grandmother to ten grandchildren: Chanda Ford, Jessica Ford Thomasson and her husband Jimmy, Meggin Ford Garner and her husband Daniel, Nathan Koenegstein, Drew Koenegstein, Ashley Ford Totten and her husband Donny, Bryan Ford and his wife Lindsay, Matthew Ford, Zachary Ford and Kaitlyn Ford. Also, her sisters children; Lindy Farley, Jan Wagner, Jody Cannon, and Michael Farley. Great granddaughter Brooke Ford. Preceding her in death were her father Leslie M. Clark, her mother Myrtle Clark Cross and her only sister Ida Jane Clark Farley. Funeral services will be Saturday, April 4, 2009 at 11 A.M. at Mitchell-Hughes Funeral Home in Marion with Rev. Jim Slone officiating. Burial will be in the Lawrenceville Illinois city cemetery with the graveside service conducted by her family. Visitation will be from 9 A.M. until the time of service on Saturday at the funeral home. For those who prefer memorials may be made to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Carbondale, Illinois or The Lighthouse Shelter in Marion, Illinois. Envelopes will be available and accepted at Mitchell-Hughes Funeral Home, 800 North Market Street, Marion, Illinois 62959.