Adelaide Redifer Ford

1937 - 2023

Adelaide "Addy" Redifer Ford, 85, longtime resident of Glenview, passed away on Tuesday, February 28th, 2023. She was born in Oak Park, Illinois on September 4, 1937 to the late Howard C. Redifer and Adelaide (Treichel) Redifer.

Addy grew up in Oak Park, attended Horace Mann Elementary School and graduated from Oak Park-River Forest High School in 1955. She graduated in 1959 from Millikin University in Decatur, IL, with majors in English Literature and Theater. As a freshman, she pledged Delta Delta Delta sorority, which was the beginning of a lifelong affiliation honoring friendship and philanthropy.

In high school, college, and beyond, any organization she belonged to benefitted from her inclination to be "all in." Addy thrived on being involved. Later that enthusiasm transferred to volunteering for the American Assoc. of University Women (AAUW), the Tri Delta North Shore-Glenbrook Alumnae Chapter, the Valley Lo condo association and her 47-year involvement with the Glenview Community Church, including the Resale Shop and Chapter 8 of the Women's Association.

She married Bob Ford in 1965 and moved to La Grange Park, IL, where Melissa and Chris were born, before on to Reston, VA, and finally Glenview, IL. Although they parted ways in 1993, they spent time together with family, especially once their granddaughters, Victoria and Jane, came along in 2000 and 2002.

Beginning her career at Continental Bank downtown Addy, continued her work in Human Resources with State National Bank in Evanston/NBD/First Chicago 1984 -1997, after which she worked in administration for various companies until she retired in 2007. Once retired, she enjoyed having more time to be with friends, dine out, play bridge, go to the opera, and travel to New Hampshire to visit Melissa and her granddaughters, the "Glidden Girls."

Addy was passionate about relationships and bringing people together. She knew how to create and cultivate community and was committed to her social and spiritual circles. She thrived on reunion planning for grade school, high school, college, Tri Delta…and even her nursery kindergarten class! She knew how to keep track of people (without social media!) and reveled in reconnecting friends across time zones and decades.

She was predeceased by her son Christopher W. Ford in 2015 and former husband Robert (Bob) C. Ford in 2013. She is survived by her older sister, Nancy L. Redifer of Mundelein, IL, daughter, Melissa (Missy) Ford Henerberry of Dover, NH, and granddaughters Victoria Glidden of Denver, CO and Jane Glidden of Seattle, WA.

Her ashes will be laid to rest next fall in the GCC Memorial Garden in Glenview, IL.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to either, Glenview Community Church, or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: https://give.tridelta.org/give/415156/#!/donation/checkout. To leave a condolence for the family, go to www.nhscotthanekamp.com.