Sharon Edna Ford

Sharon Edna Ford took her last breath Thursday, September 12 th at 11:15 PM. The immediate, yet seemingly endless silence would be a harbinger for the days to follow. This dear friend to many is no longer a phone call away. Sharon Ford was born July 13 th , 1948 to parents Edna Lavaselle Young Blair and Willard Wesley Blair in Miami, Florida. The pair likely did not realize the adventure set before them in this enigma who would continue on to live her life and conduct her relationships with enthusiastic whimsy & charm. Sharon was a self-proclaimed, bell bottom-wearing hippie, but not because she was trying to follow in the footsteps of a movement. She was such because she was so emphatically original, refusing to don tattoos or piercings and wearing her voluminous, flowing black hair past her waist. Sharon was an avid student of culture & people. She loved music of all sorts including African, classical, jazz, R&B, blues, folk, acoustic guitar and everything in between. Some of her favorites were the Neville brothers, Eric Clapton, & Carlos Santana. She also loved to prepare recipes from all around the world, borrowing from every cookbook she could get her hands on. As a lifelong student, when she decided to attempt a task, it was not enough to simply complete it sufficiently. Sharon would learn everything about it: the history, purpose, original methodology, and whom to thank for the understanding of the subject. Her perspective was typically captivating. She was a wordsmith & a writer who was unbeatable in Scrabble. 

An artist from the moment she could hold a pencil, Sharon created one art work after another including canvas paintings, carvings upon emu eggs, soap & wood, drawings, and clothing. Her drawings & paintings are exceedingly impressive and Sharon would often express her memory of every brushstroke or line of work because so much of her energy went into her work. She loved to appreciate the beauty in nature, colors, and in people. Her portraits and sculptures were some of her best works because of her superhuman patience and attention to detail. She crocheted more types of items than one could keep track of realistically. Her most significant crocheted pieces were her hats made into all sorts of characters such as the cookie monster, teddy bears, rainbows, muppets, various cartoon & anime characters, abstract pieces, and designs of her own creation. Sharon had a yellow Dodge Neon for over a decade that, once paid off, she proceeded to beautify with painted murals, patterns, and various designs. The car ended up in the newspaper having caught the eye of everyone who could appreciate her flair. Try expressing road rage toward a car with googly eyes and eyelashes! Sharon was an exceedingly complex individual who never took the easy way out. At a time when it would be considered dangerous to do so, Sharon married an African American man on December 9, 1974 in Miami, FL. She bore four children, one prior to the marriage. Sharon experienced tough situations and exhibited resilience beyond what many people could fathom, raising mixed children, running a household with limited resources, moving around to multiple states including Florida, Maryland, Texas, & Colorado, while working much of the time. 

In the late 1970s to early 1980s, Sharon’s husband was briefly stationed in Wertheim, Germany during which time Manfred Kugler came to knock on the couples’ door. He brought with him a message of a new world in which pain & sickness will be no more. Sharon had so many questions as she usually did and Manfred had the patience to answer them all from the Bible. Sharon was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses at an international convention in Germany in the summer of 1981. Sharon and her husband returned to the United States early during the 1980s. Following the split from her children’s father in the early 1990s, Sharon moved to Cullman, Alabama to receive support from her parents who were from the area. There she struggled while working full time and offering the best she had to give to her youngest three offspring. After her parents passed and her younger sons grew up, Sharon moved with her young daughter to Hanceville where she would create many close friendships and receive ample support in raising her youngest child. 

Due to her many trials, Sharon Edna Ford had a unique ability to understand the viewpoint of all types of people. She always had a unique perspective to add to a situation. This empathetic woman, who enjoyed getting to know people very much, was determined to focus on uplifting others even when she was in pain, making gifts in butterflies & hats she crocheted, small stones she painted in amazing detail, mazes she had drawn, teaching others to carve soap & to paint/draw, and even giving away large pieces of art that she had spent hours or even months creating to friends and relatives whom she loved. She used to send out letters to tell people about Jehovah’s Kingdom & loving kindness, adorning each envelope with intricate drawings of animals & nature. Recently, Sharon stated, “One thing that I really enjoy is learning how to be ever and ever more kind to the people I come into contact with and to recognize the kindnesses of others and appreciate it.” Sharon always used to make sure to smile at everyone because, as she would say, ‘You never know if yours might be the only smile a person sees that day.’ Despite many hardships while striving to be the best version of herself, Sharon Ford finished her imperfect journey faithfully, serving as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses until her final hour. A special memorial talk will be given: 

Saturday, October 5 th at 1:00 PM CST Hartselle Kingdom Hall 70 New Center Rd. Hartselle, AL 35640 

Sharon Ford is survived by her eldest son, Samuel Wesley Ford, his wife Carey Ann Ford, their children Shye Anya Ford & Wes Chase Ford, Sharon’s son Paul Ernest Ford, his children Haley Brianna Gayle Brown & Valkyrie Isaac Ford, Sharon’s son Jon Mitchell Ford, his wife Lizelle Carla Ford, their children Mitchell Callan Ford, Elias Johannon Ford, Kinsley Wynter Ford, & Ethan Michael Botha, as well as Sharon’s daughter Raven Lila Ford-Allen & her husband Kasey Dean Allen. Sharon had another grandson by Jon Mitchell by the name of Kace Cayden Ford, who sadly passed away.

“I prayed quietly to Jehovah and named his name and asked for holy spirit and faith and calm.” - Sharon Edna Ford 

“You will call, and I will answer you. You will long for the work of your hands.” - Job 14:15