Norma Dean Ford, 77, of Cabot, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2022, at Springhill Baptist Hospital in North Little Rock, Ark., after a brief illness. She was born March 14, 1945, in Branch, La., and was raised in Lake Charles, La., by her parents, Leonce and Zula Thibodeaux. She graduated from Marion High School in 1963 and moved to Bossier City, La. It was there that she met and fell in love with William Ford in 1964 when she devoted herself fully to being a military spouse and mother. She enjoyed traveling, shopping, softball, bowling and working in the yard.
During his 30 years in the U.S. Air Force they had two children, Melanie and Jason. They resided in places such as: Incirlik AB, Türkiye, Ellsworth AFB, SD, Lake Charles, LA, McConnell AFB, KS, Hahn AB, Germany, retiring in Cabot, AR. She was a bus driver for Pulaski County Special School District and Cabot Public Schools. She also cleaned homes for military families at Little Rock AFB, Jacksonville, AR. In addition to her parents, Norma was preceded in death by her sister, Mildred Moore and brother, Winston Thibodeaux.
She is survived by her loving and loyal husband of 58 years, William Ford; children, Melanie Riordan and her husband, Bill of Cabot, Ark., and Jason Ford and his wife, Gulay of Adana, Türkiye; five grandchildren: Wade McCormick, Chad McCormick,, Joy Stephens, Sarah Riordan, Billy Riordan, and 9 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sisters Margie Morgan and Brenda West, both of Lake Charles, La.
Special thanks to Greystone Nursing and Rehabilitation and friends in Cabot, Ark., for their loving care during her final 3 years.
Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023 at Moore’s Cabot Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at St. Jude’s the Apostle Catholic Church in Jacksonville. Interment will be 11 a.m. following the service at Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery in North Little Rock. Arrangements by Moore’s Cabot Funeral Home, 501-843-5816. Please sign our online guestbook for the family at www.moorescabotfuneralhome.com.