Lillie Belle Church Ford Obituary

OBITUARY OF LILLIE BELLE CHURCH FORD

SISTER OF LOCAL MAN KILLED IN CAR ACCIDENT

C.W. Church received word that his sister Lillie Ford had been killed in a car-bus accident. Following is the account as taken from the newspaper clipping.

Mrs. Fred Norris passed away on Thursday, September 29 near Hot Springs, Montana in an auto accident. Mrs. Norris and her close friend, Mrs. Lillibelle Ford of Coutts, were killed when their car slammed into a slow moving school bus. According to the coroner, the bus, not a regular school bus, but a red and white vehicle used for transporting children, had slowed again when a passenger was spotted.

The funeral of the late Mrs. Henry (Lillie Belle) Ford was held on Wednesday, October 5 at 3:00 p.m. in Coutts United Church with Rev. Ormand Lavenne officiating. The host of friends who were present and the many floral offerings attested to the high esteem in which the grand old lady was held by all who knew her.

Interment was in the family plot in the Milk River Cemetery with Martin Brothers of Lethbridge in charge of arrangements. The members of the Iris Chapter OES performed the graveside cemeronies.
The late Mrs. Ford was born in Postville, Iowa on April 4, 1882, the daughter of Charles and Charlotte Church. When she ws two years of age her parents moved to a farm at Chamberlain, South Dakota. Here she grew to womanhood and on December 14, 1899 she married Henry Spencer Ford. To this union six children were born, five boys and one daughter. All survive and were present at the funeral. Other survivors are 13 grandchildren, 17 great great grandchildren, two brothers and two sisters.

Mrs. Ford was a member of the Coutts United Church and took a very active part in the establishment of the church. An Eastern Star member for almost 50 years, she had recently been honored with a Life Membership in the Iris Chapter at Milk River.