John Milton Ford

John Milton Ford, 87, passed from this life into the presence of his Savior on July 5, 2025, at his home place in Malone, Florida.

John was born and raised in Jackson County. He played on two state championship basketball teams at Malone High and then attended Chipola Jr. College where he played basketball and was part of the glee club. It was there that he met Gwen, the love of his life for the next 69 years of marriage together. He went on to graduate with a degree in business from Florida State University and eventually found work in sales with DuPont Paint for the next 31 years.

Success at work moved him and his family from South Carolina to Louisiana, on to Dallas and even all the way to California. But when it came time to retire he would return to the place he truly loved, the family farm where he was raised back on Ford Rd. in Malone.

John was a man of steady Christian faith. He deeply loved his family and his church family, serving as a deacon at Malone First Baptist and singing in the choir. He was generous, incredibly hard working, a faithful friend and a good dancer (with Gwen as his partner).

He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Verna Ford; and his sisters, Grace Locke, Ruth Lawrence and Georgia Simpson.

John is survived by his wife of 69 years, Gwendolyn Potter Ford; a daughter, Stephanie (Larry) Trotter of Youngsville, NC; son, Greg (Cindy) Ford of McLeansville, NC; son, Kevin (Kimber) Ford of Allen, TX; and daughter, Amy (Jett) Johnson of Goldthwaite, TX.

He is also survived by 16 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren: Daniel (Macky) Trotter of Raleigh, NC and their three children; Corrie (Billy) Enright of Asheville, NC and their four children; Andrew (Kaitlyn) Trotter of Youngsville, NC and their two children; Abby (Coston) Padgett of Candler, NC and their son; Josiah (Claire) Trotter of Franklinton, NC; Geoff (Amy) Ford of Moon Township, PA and their two children; Allan (Kaci) Ford of Enid, OK and their daughter; Marcy (Scott) Davis of Greensboro, NC and their son; Shane (Ashley) McGee of Greensboro, NC and their son; Brian (Karmen) McGee of Fuquay Varina; Madison (Nathan Offers) Ford of Portland, OR; Mackenzie Ford of McKinney, TX; Morgan Ford of Allen, TX and her son; Avery Ford of Roswell, GA; Gwendolyn Johnson of Dallas, TX and Jett Jay Johnson Jr. of Goldthwaite, TX.

Funeral services will be 2:00 PM, Friday, July 11, 2025, at Malone First Baptist Church with Reverends, Steven Welch and Larry Trotter officiating. Interment will follow in Friendship Baptist Cemetery, Malone, FL with James & Sikes Funeral Homes Maddox Chapel directing.

The family will receive friends Thursday, July 10, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Malone First Baptist Church.

Expressions of sympathy may be made online at www.jamesandsikes.com