Maurice "Morris" William Ford

Maurice William Ford, 93, of Union and formerly of Payette, Idaho, died March 13 at his home.

A celebration of life service will be held at a later date.

Maurice, also known as Morris or M.W., was born Jan. 22, 1916, to William Bucy and Della (Cartwright) Ford in Washington Court House, Ohio. He was the second oldest of six boys. He graduated from Madison Mills High School in 1935.

Being an adventurer, he left Ohio, first traveling east. Upon meeting a new friend from Idaho, he headed west to Idaho in 1936. He worked various farm and ranch jobs. Those who knew him say he was a very hard worker, and capable of handling large teams of horses and any and all farming equipment.

In 1937, he began working in the Grande Ronde Valley from Island City to Elgin and up into the Enterprise area. He returned in the fall to southern Idaho working there and traveling.

In 1941, he married Frieda York in American Falls, Idaho. The two of them bought and ran various ranches in the Rockland Valley, Salmon area and at Parma and Weiser, Idaho. At each ranch they would work together to clear and level the land, provide new or improved irrigation and plant new crops. In 1970 they moved to Payette, where he started a land leveling business, Ford Soil Movers.

He enjoyed fixing up his cabin site, writing his memoirs and having them published in "Adventures of An Idaho Cowboy." He enjoyed his grandchildren, working with his horses and mules, fishing, hunting and just scouting about. He was an avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed visiting and was involved at Prison Ministry at Snake River Corrections in Ontario. He was a longtime member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In 2002, he and his wife moved to Union.

Maurice is survived by his wife, Frieda of Union; twin brother, Charles R. and his wife, Betty Ford, of Mt. Vernon, Ohio; son, William "Bill" and his wife, Marilyn Ford, of Payette; daughters, Karen and her husband, Jesse Westbrook, and Gayla and her husband, Steve Skeen, of Union; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and other nieces, nephews and relatives.

He was preceded in death by his brothers, Howard, Bob, Dave and Kenneth Ford, all of Ohio.

Memorial contributions may be made to Grande Ronde Home Health Hospice.

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