Shirley Ford

Shirley Ford, 86, of West Des Moines passed away early Monday, October 6, 2014 at Wesley Acres in Des Moines, Iowa. A visitation will be held from 1 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, October 7 at Ochiltree Funeral Service in Winterset where the family will be present to receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, October 8, 2014 at Ochiltree Funeral Service in Winterset with burial at the Winterset Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Animal Rescue League or Wesley Life Hospice Program. Shirley Velma Garland, daughter of Byron and Sarah (Beaman) Garland, was born at home on April 19, 1928 in Dexter, Iowa. She moved to Madison County when she was two years old. Shirley graduated from Winterset High School in 1945. After high school, she worked for the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in Des Moines as a long distance operator. Shirley married Frederick Ford on September 15, 1946 in Winterset at the Methodist Church Parsonage. After marrying, she worked for attorney, Dan Gallary. Shirley later started working for the government in Selective Service. They moved to West Des Moines in 1967, where she continued to work with the government but changed to the Department of Agriculture in 1976. Shirley started the Women’s Bowling League in Winterset with Laurene Warren. She was a former member of ENTHEOS chapter of ABWA and was a past president and past Woman of the Year. Family was very important to Shirley and her great-grandchildren were her pride and joy. Shirley is survived by son, Craig (Georgia) Ford of Bellevue, Nebraska; daughter, Jeanne (Irv) Johnson of Des Moines, Iowa; four grandchildren, James Ford, Anne (Geoff) Johnson, Erich (Amanda) Rachwitz, and Nathan (Susan) Rachwitz; seven great-grandchildren, Avery and Norah Johnson, Noah, Gavan, and Madeline Rachwitz, James and Aaron Rachwitz; nephews, Mike (Janet) Garland and Dan (Marla) Garland; niece, Nancy (Terry) Miller and other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; siblings, Ilene (Orbah) Murrell and Leslie E. (Doris) Garland; niece, Rowena Renfrow; and nephew, Phil Murrell.