Rick W. Ford

Rick W. Ford

Dec. 23, 1959 - Sept. 27, 2023

ROANOKE - Rick W. Ford, 63, of Le Roy, formerly of Roanoke, passed away the morning of September 27, 2023, peacefully with his wife at his side.

Rick was born to Don and Ruth Ann (Steffen) Ford on December 23, 1959 in Peoria, IL. He grew up in Eureka collecting stories that he later would gleefully tell to anyone who would listen.

Rick married Janel Schoon on May 1, 1982. They were true soulmates and complimented each other perfectly.

Rick worked for COUNTRY Financial in Bloomington, IL for 35 years, retiring in 2017 and going to work for his cousin, driving a truck for DKS Trucking for 5 more years.

He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Janel (Schoon) Ford, of Le Roy, IL; a son, Trent (Molly) Ford, of Mahomet, IL; a daughter, Kendra (Tom) Meismer, of Normal, IL; three grandkids; Garrett, Theodore, and Isla along with his mother, Ruth Ann (Steffen) Ford of Arlington, TX; brother, Tim Ford of Arlington, TX and sister, Kelly (Ford) Hinna of Fort Worth, TX; mother-on-law, Jan (Hahn) Schoon of Normal, IL; sister-in-law, Angie (Tim Miracle) Schoon, of Normal, IL; brother-in-law, Perry (Kelly ) Schoon, of Normal, IL; and three nieces.

He was preceded in death by his father, Don Ford and his father-in-law, Eldon Schoon.

Anyone who knew Rick knew when he stepped into a room, he amplified the environment with his boisterous voice and welcoming personality. He was a prankster at heart and could make anyone laugh. His true calling was taking something broken and tinkering with it to make a whole new invention. He could take any everyday item and think of several other ways to improve and use it. Rick loved cars and gardening and passed those loves down to his children. When his grandchildren came into the world, they became the light of his life. They always knew when they saw his big white van, that was Paw Paw. His large collection of cars helped his oldest grandson, Garrett, have the same passion in vehicles that Rick had. His love of camping and gardening inspired his other grandson, Theodore, to always enjoy the outdoors and explore. When he wasn't having fun with his grandkids, Rick and his wife enjoyed traveling in their camper with their yellow lab, Izzy. Visiting new campgrounds and exploring new states together, they made every trip peaceful, enjoying the views and company.

Public visitation will be held from 1-4 pm on Sunday October 1st at Knapp-Johnson-Harris Funeral Home in Roanoke. Cremation rites will be accorded, and private family funeral services will be held at a later date. Burial of cremains will be in the Roanoke Township Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation online at npcf.us or to the OSF Richard. L. Owens Hospice Home at 8630 Illinois Route 91 in Peoria, IL.

Condolences and tributes may be sent to the family at knappjohnsonharris.com.