Lucille Ford

Lucille Ford, 87, of Jackson passed away Saturday, May 7, 2011, at Jackson Manor Nursing Home.

She was born June 27, 1923, in Jackson, daughter of Vera Gale "VG" and Zelma Talley Taylor, and a twin to Catherine "Louise" Taylor. She and Charles Ford were married Dec. 6, 1954, in Abeokuta, Nigeria.

Ford attended Jackson schools and was Jackson Senior High Silver Arrow Queen in 1941, her senior year. She graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a teaching degree in 1948. She taught in Peoria, Ill., Blodgett, Mo., and Jackson.

When she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, she was baptized and became a member of First Baptist Church in Jackson, where her father was a deacon and her mother taught Sunday school.

After several years of teaching, she felt called to Christian service and received a bachelor of religious education at Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where she felt led to be a missionary in Nigeria, West Africa.

While teaching at the Women's Training College in Abeokuta, she fell in love and married Charles S. Ford, a teacher at the nearby Baptist Boy's High School. They both felt a need to open Baptist work in Ogoja Province in the eastern region of Nigeria. They were responsible for establishing churches and partially responsible for the translation of the New Testament in the unwritten language of Yala.

After 14 years in Nigeria, they returned to Jackson where Charles taught at the junior high school and Lucille taught at West Lane Elementary School. Eventually, they retired to their farmhouse just west of Jackson city limits.

Lucille is survived by her husband of 57 years; five children, Charles "Chuck" (Paula) Ford of Fredericktown, Mo., Steve (Sherri) Ford of Franklin, Tenn., John Ford of Charlotte, N.C., Robert (Amy) Ford of Wyoming, Ohio, Cathleen Ford of Creighton, Mo.; six grandchildren, Heath Ford, Allison and Emily Ford, Cody Ford, Bryce and Michael Ford; and twin sister, Louise Taylor of Jackson.

She was preceded in death by a brother, the Rev. Robert Taylor and wife Sarah; and a sister, Sarah "Sally" and husband the Rev. Guy Brown.

Friends may call from 9:30 a.m. until service time Saturday at the chapel of McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

A celebration of life memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Memorial suggestions are to Crown Hospice or the church or charity of your choice.

Sympathy messages may be sent to the family online at www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.