Jean Ann Ford

1947 - 2019

Jean Ann Ford

San Francisco, CA. - On Thursday, January 17, 2019, the world lost a bright star. Jean Ann Ford, 71, passed away unexpectedly from complications related to cancer. She died surrounded by her family.

Jean was best known for being the co-founder, along with her sister Jane, of Benefit Cosmetics. In 1976 Jean and Jane opened a small makeup store in San Francisco called the Face Place. Her motto was "always be ready" and that, coupled with her unmatched levels of courage, bravado and daring, turned that one store into the global cosmetics giant, Benefit Cosmetics. She set the unique creative tone for the brand and was known in the beauty industry as a marketing wizard. In 1999 Jean and Jane formed a strategic partnership with Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy to grow their fledgling brand to the worldwide success it is today. Jean received the coveted Cosmetic Executive Women Achiever Award in 2005, and she is credited with being the creator of some of the most notable products in the beauty industry. In 1995 Jean coined the term, "Laughter is the Best Cosmetic" which fast became Benefit's brand motto. In doing so she created a fundamental shift in the industry, believing deeply that when a woman is smiling and laughing, that is when she is her most beautiful. With that simple phrase, Jean bettered the lives of millions of women around the world.

She is survived by her identical twin sister Jane Ann Ford-Petrin and husband Chris Petrin, daughter Maggie Ford Danielson and husband Jason Scott, daughter Ann Ford Danielson and husband Kyle Miller, brothers Lee R Ford III and Brad Ford, grandchildren Ruby Scott, Violet Scott, James Miller and Dusty Miller, ex-husband Carl Danielson and several nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind her loving dog Indy.

Born on August 7, 1947 in Indianapolis, Jean grew up with her sister Jane and brothers Lee R Ford III and Bradly Ford on a farm in Northern Indianapolis. Jean attended North Central High School and then went on to Indiana University, BA '69, where she was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and majored in Art Education. After graduating she and her sister Jane decided to move west and made their way to San Francisco.

Aside from beauty, Jean also had a passion for education. In her 20's she created a mobile art class out of a VW van and drove around teaching art to under privileged children in San Francisco. She was a major benefactor of the IU Foundation and created the "Average to Awesome" scholarship at the IU School of Education. Her focus was always on the core of education… the teachers. "To teach is to anchor the world with bright purpose."- Jean Ford

In the Bay Area, she was a major donor to Girl's Inc Alameda chapter and enjoyed reading stories to her granddaughter's pre- school class.

Gratitude and harmony established the core of her work after Benefit. Jean's love for community, family, and friends was seen in everything she did, from spending time and supporting those in need to watching her four grandchildren play in her backyard. They were her "joysters" and she was their "Mimi". Jean spent much of her time with them, her goofy black golden doodle Indy, traveling, golfing, fishing in Cabo and taking care of her roses and much beloved birch trees.

She was a loving mother, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend. She was also a visionary and her contribution to the world of Benefit Cosmetics, has changed the lives of so many. In the words of Peter Born, Editor at Large, Beauty, Women's Wear Daily, "Benefit is a community forged out of a deep understanding of the human condition"

To that end, to those whose lives have been touched by Jean please join us at Grace Cathedral on Friday March 29, 2019 1100 California Street, San Francisco CA 10:30am.

In lieu of flowers, please direct any gifts to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Memory of Jean Ford. PO Box 4486 Houston, TX 77210 or at www.mdanderson.org/gifts