Joe Ford

Johny Joe Ford, son of Verle Leslie and Helen Edith (Fust) Ford was born on Sept. 3, 1944 in Orient, Iowa. He received his education from Iowa State University graduating in 1966 with a bachelors of animal science. He served in the United States Army from 1967-1968. Following discharge, he completed his PhD also from Iowa State and then became a research physiologist with the United States Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center from 1974-2009.
Joe married Ann Remmenga on Nov. 24, 1989 in Clay Center. The couple was blessed with four daughters; Jody, Patti, Brenda, and Jennifer. Joe and Ann lived in Aurora. Joe was an active member of the community, dedicating his time to the Aurora United Methodist Church, Habitat for Humanity, Edgerton Center and Prairie Plains Resource Institute.
Joe and Ann highly valued and believed in the importance and power of education to those underserved, which led to his involvement with Lydia Patterson Institute, school in El Paso, Texas. When Joe moved to Maryville, Mo. in 2012, he continued his community involvement at the First United Methodist Church, local food pantry and Habitat for Humanity. During Joe’s travels to Papua New Guinea with Habitat for Humanity, he learned about Be the Change Volunteers. Upon his return home, he learned more about the organization and became an active volunteer.
Joe maintained sincere relationships with everyone he met. Papa Joe greatly enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, and attending their activities was one of his greatest joys.
With a generous heart, he devoted his life to the service of friends, family and strangers alike. Everyone that knew him was better for it and has a story about him they will remember for the rest of their days. He avoided the spotlight yet radiated his personality and charm over six of the seven continents.
Joe is preceded in death by his parents, and his wife, Ann in 2010.
Joe is survived by his daughters; Jody Craven of Kansas City, Mo., Patti Schutte of Glenwood, Iowa, Brenda Kemling of Glenwood, Iowa and Jennifer Ford and her wife Nichole of Kansas City, Mo.; grandchildren, Danielle Craven, Colton Schutte, Cameron Schutte, Caleb Schutte and Ilsa Kemling; brother, Kermit Ford; sisters, Marliyn Stoll and her husband Paul, Joyce Milligan and her husband, Jon; other nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.
Ceremony and celebration of life will occur in the summer of 2021 in Maryville, Mo. In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to honor Joe by sending memorial gifts to: Be the Change Volunteers (www.bethechangevolunteers.org) and Lydia Patterson Institute (www.lpi-elpaso.org). Loess Hills Funeral Home (www.loesshillsfuneralhome.com) of Glenwood, Iowa assisted the family with arrangements.