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FUNERAL HOME

Eternal Hills Funeral Home and Cremation

3594 Stone Mountain Highway

Snellville, Georgia

Clifford Ford Obituary

Family-Placed Death Notice

FORD, Clifford Clifford L. Ford, 75, passed away on Sunday, October 17, 2010, at his home in Monroe, GA. Clifford was born on November 8, 1934 in Atlanta, GA to Joyce and Caroline Ford. He proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corps, retiring as a Sergeant Major after 30 years of service. Mr. Ford was a member of the American Legion. Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Jerry Gilbert Ford of Monroe, daughter Vallie Polchan of Atlanta, sons Dale Ford of Monroe and Rick Jarvis and wife Barbara of Walton County, grandchildren Chris, Katie, Justin and Tyler and great grandchildren Jonah, Esther and Skylar. Visitation will be from 6-9 pm on Wednesday, October 20, 2010, at Eternal Hills Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Thursday, October 21, 2010, in the Eternal Hills Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow at Eternal Hills Memory Gardens. Please join us in celebrating Clifford's life by visiting www.eternalhillsfuneralhome.com. Eternal Hills Funeral Home, 770.972.3155.

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Published by Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Oct. 19, 2010.

Memories and Condolences
for Clifford Ford

17 Entries

Uncle Clifford and Aunt Jerry at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida

Bonnie Yorston Hollihan

October 28, 2010

"Outstanding" day fishing L-R: Graham, Ray,Captain, Bonnie and Clifford

Bonnie Yorston Hollihan

October 28, 2010

"Outstanding" Cobia

Bonnie Yorston Hollihan

October 28, 2010

Nice Thanksgiving Gathering

Bonnie Yorston Hollihan

October 26, 2010

Bonnie Hollihan

October 25, 2010

We are thinking of you and missing you dear uncle who was also a great uncle.
Bonnie and Ryan

Rev. Jimmy Wilson

October 21, 2010

Dear Family,

The Pastors and Staff of First Baptist Loganville send our deepest condolences and prayers for strength and peace.

God bless you,
Jimmy & Deborah Wilson
First Baptist Loganville

Cheryl Yorston Leighton

October 20, 2010

My dearest uncle, I will miss your laughter, your sense of humor, your caring and thoughtfulness, your generosity, and your mortal presence in my life. I appreciate all that I learned from you by camping, boating, fishing, and water skiing. Only to be a kid again - it was so much fun! My favorite memory was when riding in a car with you and you'd say, "you wanna see a Mule bite an apple?" Then you would reach over and squeeze my knee cap really hard. One of those things that make you laugh and scream. Yikes!!! You sure made some memories. I thank you for that. And finally, the best times were when we all got together for the holidays. Those were some terrific family days. I have not experienced anything like that since. To my Aunt Jerry, Cousins Dale and Ric, and families - I pray that each of you will have a lighter heart in the days to come in knowing that Clifford is in a much better place and not in any pain. Ray and I send much love to all of you and God Bless.

Jason Mosier

October 20, 2010

Our thoughts and prayers are with each and everyone of you. Great Uncle Clifford will be deeply missed. He will always be in our hearts and will never be forgotten. He was a great inspiration to me and the perfect example of what a true father and man should be. See ya in heaven Uncle Clifford!

Phillip Yorston

October 19, 2010

My prayers and thoughts are with Clifford’s entire family, including his extended family. Clifford was the go to and a stand-up guy. He was the ultimate husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend.
He was so squared away … 24/7 for everything, be it personal, business or social. Anything the needed done, Clifford could do it, from business to sports, to mechanical. He was just an extra-ordinary person who looked on the bright side of everything and sought to help everyone.
Clifford’s family was his first love. For his second love, it was the Corps. Clifford was the ultimate Marine. He lived, breathed and died a Marine. I had the pleasure of going to several Marine Corps Birthday parties with him. It was a wonderful sight to see Clifford proudly dressed up in his blues, his face shining with pride in his service of his country and his beloved Corp. It is fitting he was quoted at his retirement ceremony as say: “retirement is like an obituary, it is the end of the ball game.” (I remember him talking about trying to play baseball for the now gone Atlanta Crackers professional baseball team; he loved baseball and ice cream, although he always blamed me for the one always getting pogey bait, which must be an USMC thing). At retirement Clifford had risen to be USMC Sergeant Major, the highest enlisted rank, the number one enlisted person in his unit and he truly deserved to be that person.
There are so very many Clifford stories and I am sure each of you can add more. He was a National Life Insurance professional for many years. As a young man I went with him on his calls and he cared for his insureds as though they were family and they all loved and trusted him completely. He taught me so much about duty, honor, country and doing the right thing. He just that kind of guy we do not see much anymore.
Clifford was the big brother I never had. We spent several great years together; he shaking his head at his city born and raised brother-in-law, who always amazed him doing silly things, getting lost in the woods while hunting, grabbing two spark plugs of a VW while the engine was running; spraying hotshot bug spray on flies in an abandoned dairy barn we were sleeping in, after he advised against it and all of us having to sleep all the way inside our sleeping bags as flies kept falling down from the ceiling. We had other memorable times to: fishing and eating C or K rations acquired from I do not know where (he always laughed as I tried to squeeze the grease out of some kind of mystery meat before eating it with crackers, actually I always like the chocolate best) We transported a Shetland pony on Christmas Eve for his boys in my VW bus and got stopped by the police for suspicion of horse rustling in Decatur GA of all places. I do not think I have been called “BOY” more times by any person in my life.
I only saw him excited one time, and that was when I tested an agricultural animal prod on him while he was bent over looking at some hunting gear. I just remember his ears getting red and running for my life; it was the only time I remember running faster than him and boy, it was important that morning; another city boy thing, but wow, a big mistake; it was funny about 20 years later, but not before. I owe him a world of thanks as I am sure many others do. Clifford was simply … THE BEST.
Clifford, thank you for being a wonderful uncle and being there with and for my daughters Cheryl and Bonnie. They have so many fond times and memories of being with you. Some others may remember something he used to say … did you ever see a donkey bite … a practical joker he was and the best uncle anyone has ever had.
Clifford, we will all miss you. However, you are forever a part of us. You are in my heart and mind until I too pass on to join you. I know you are in heaven, it cannot be otherwise for a person such as you. I know you are listening to your beloved USMC airplanes, playing ball at the base up; hunting deer and quail, fishing and looking forward to some ‘nilla ice cream until the end of all time. You are the role model for many and the best friend I ever had.
God bless and keep you.
With love,
Phil Yorston
West Palm Beach

Jon Ford

October 19, 2010

So sorry to hear of Clifford's passing. Clifford was a good man and one of integrity. My prayers and thoughts are with the family. My most sincere condolences.

Ed & Maggie Waggoner

October 19, 2010

Clifford, you will be missed by all of us who knew you as a friend. I was fortunate that you were my cousin too. Our thoughts are with Jerry and all of Jerry & Clifford's family.

October 19, 2010

Our prayers and thoughts are with you all. Mr. Ford fought a brave battle in more ways than one. He will be missed. Let us know if you need anything.
Jerry and Dawn Head

Tom Valentine

October 19, 2010

My sincerest condolences to Clifford's family. Clifford was a true friend and classmate at Murphy High School and was always a caring person. We will miss him.

Melissa Cape

October 19, 2010

We are so sorry for your loss! Mr. Ford was a wonderful man and he will be truly missed. Our prayers are with the entire Ford family! Love, Brent, Melissa, Evan (Messer) and Devan Cape

Brent Gilroy

October 19, 2010

Very sorry to hear of Clifford's passing. He was the "senior cousin" in my family (there were 11 of us). The guy everybody in the family could depend on, no matter when or where they needed something -- and I'm sure it was the same with everyone else who knew him.

Bonnie Yorston Hollihan

October 19, 2010

Clifford :
Son , husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather,hunter, fisherman, gardener, Marine and friend to many but best of all my mother's brother, making you the best uncle ever.
You are loved and missed.

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