Catherine Estella Ford

Catherine Estella Ford passed away on November 30, 2025. Born on January 15, 1940, in Baltimore, Maryland. Our mother's earthly journey ended at 85 years old. She lived a long life, however it wasn't long enough for those who deeply loved her.

Our mother was a unique and phenomenal woman, whose essence can not be quantified by a number of words in a biography. However, we will lead with what she considered to be her most distinguished accomplishment- being a mother. She raised 6 children- all on her own. She carried every burden herself, and somehow found the strength to keep going. She did not have monetary riches. However, what she instilled in us and gave to us is priceless- resiliency, loyalty, faith, and unconditional love.

She protected, nurtured, insisted, and persisted in her role as a mother. She remarked that people often told her she was a fool for her children, she smiled and happily agreed.

Her intuition and wisdom was always spot-on, sometimes to the chagrin of her children. She is the strongest person we know. Even with pain, despair and impossible odds she found the strength to keep going. A religious woman who never gave up, not on life or her children.

Educated in Catholic schools, she later pursued a groundbreaking path. During an era when women of color were often limited to laundry or kitchen work, she broke barriers by becoming a surgical technician, serving at the former Providence Hospital and Women’s Hospital—now known as GBMC.

Our first love, hero, icon and legend. Death can't take her away. We may speak of her in present tense because she's more than her physical body. Her spirit, soul, and motherly love is eternal and lives in her offspring. She is survived by 6 children Joseph Ford, Charles Ford, Thelma Beale (Aaron), Monique Henderson, Tyrone Henderson, and Caroline Henderson. 13 grandchildren including De'Angela Ford, Kevin Matthews, Jazmine Barnhill- whom she helped raised- Destiny Haynes, Erin Beale, Jailyn Beale, Scyler Ford, Evelyn Ford, Alexander, Lucinda, Linus, Dante Mantell, and Daniel Fortson. Several great grandchildren including Ja'niyah Estella Caldwell- her namesake. Sister, Evelyn Wheeler Hall and neice Alicia Hall.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Thelma Wheeler Hall; her father, Henry Ford; and her brothers, Oliver Hall and Leroy Wheeler.