William Melvin "Bill" Ford

A funeral service celebrating the life of William Melvin “Bill” Ford, age 71, of Pataskala, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 6, at the Kirkersville Chapel of Hoskinson Funeral & Cremation Service with Pastor Bob Mathias officiating. Friends may call from 5-8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5, and from 10-11 a.m. prior to the service on Wednesday at the funeral home, 285 East Main Street in Kirkersville. Inurnment will take place at a later date in Kirkersville Cemetery.

Bill was born March 10, 1948 in Columbus, Ohio to the late Roy Lee and Mildred Marie (Clark) Ford. He passed away on Friday, November 1, 2019 at Mount Carmel East Hospital.

Bill retired from Lucent Technologies after 32 years of service. Following his retirement, he was a truck driver for Valley Transportation of Ashland for seven years. Bill was a member of Goldwing Road Riders where he was currently the Chapter Director and held several other positions over the years. He was a member of the Reynoldsburg United Methodist Church and participated in several Mission trips with the church. He was also a member of Good Sam’s Camping Club, the Boy Scouts of America and the Ohio High School Athletic Association. He was a football and basketball referee for 27 years. Bill loved to travel and he and his wife took many trips together on their motorcycle.

He is survived by his loving wife, Esther Louise (Belt) Ford, whom he married on June 5, 1968; daughter, Sheri (Jack) Moore of Logan; son, William Scott (Sandy) Ford of Virginia Beach, Virginia; grandson, William Franklin “Frank” Moore; chosen family, Phil, Laura and Sophia Keister; brothers, Roy A. (Judith) Ford of Mount Vernon, Randol (Penny) Ford of Pataskala and Charles (Lillian) Ford of Powell; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 2215 Citygate Drive, Suite A, Columbus, OH 43219 www.lls.org or to the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, at giveto.osu.edu.

Please visit www.HoskinsonFuneral.com to share a special memory about Bill or to sign an online guest book.

Hoskinson Funeral & Cremation Service in Kirkersville is honored to care for Bill and his family.