Cmdt. James M. Ford Jr., U.S. Navy (Ret.), 87

Cmdt. James M. Ford Jr., U.S. Navy (Ret.), 87, passed away on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016, in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016, at the Ford residence with Pastor Andy Kennaly of the First Presbyterian Church officiating. Military honors will follow. For additional information you may contact his daughter Kathy at 265-5605.

Jim was born in San Diego, Calif., on March 19, 1929, to James and Helen Ford. He attended San Diego College. After enlisting in the U.S. Navy in September 1948 and graduating from Electronics School at Treasure Island, Calif., in December 1949, he entered Naval Air Basic Flight Training in Pensacola, Fla., and was commissioned as an ensign and designated a naval aviator in July 1951.

His first assignment as a naval aviator was with Composite Squadron Four, a night fighter squadron operating from the aircraft carriers USS Franklin D. Roosevelt, USS Saipan, USS Wasp, USS Leyte and USS Coral Sea. Later he returned to Pensacola for three years as a naval flight instructor.

A one year tour at the Post Graduate School in Mon-terey, Calif., was followed by two years aboard the carrier USS Kitty Hawk which he assisted in commissioning and deployments as assistant navigator. His next assignment was with Heavy Attack Squadron 123 at Whidbey Island, Wash., operating from the carriers USS Forrestal and USS Randolph.

In March 1963, he assumed duties as executive officer of the destroyer USS Perry DD-844 at Mayport, Fla., and on successful completion of that tour reported to the Military Assistance Group Netherlands in The Hague. His family accompanied him for three years during this interesting tour.

While in the Netherlands he was a member of the United States delegation to the NATO Naval Armaments Committee meeting in Paris. His next assignment was 21one months of duty as the executive officer on the guided missile test ship USS Norton Sound AVM-1 homeported at Port Hueneme, Calif.

He served a brief tour in Vietnam as a member of General Westmoreland’s MAC V staff in Saigon. Commander Ford commanded the destroyer Compton DD705 homeported at Boston, Mass., from September 1969 to June 1971. He reported to the Naval Weapons Station in Concord, Calif., in June 1971 as executive officer and later as commanding officer, retiring from the naval service in March 1973.

He settled in Fresno, Calif., and became a trust officer of Crocker National Bank. Later he formed Valley Professional Services and worked as a bankruptcy trustee and private fiduciary specializing in trust and probate administration along with appointments as a receiver in both state and federal courts. He also served as a conservator, guardian ad litum and agent in assignments for benefit of creditors.

He was a 50-year member of Lakeside Masonic Lodge No. 42, Scottish Rite, Calam Shrine Temple, Panhandle Shrine Club and a life member of The Retired Officers Association, Navy League of the United States and a member of the Spokane Chapter of The Retired Officers Association and Spokane Navy League. He was also a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion in addition to being a member of Composite Squadron Four (VC-4) and USS Compton veterans organizations and a past member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and Lions International. He was on the board of directors of the Fresno County American Red Cross prior to moving to North Idaho in 1994.

He was also a member of the Bonner County Airport Advisory Committee and a Commissioner on the Bonner County Planning and Zoning Committee. He was chairman and treasurer of the Wood View Road Maintenance Association for over 13 years.

Commander Ford was married to the former Barbara Joan (Ann) Whitacre of Shawnee, Okla. They had three children, Sue Ann Martin of Houston, Texas, James M. Ford III of Sagle, Idaho, and Kathryn Anderson of Sandpoint. He had one granddaughter, Rachel Anderson, a nurse practitioner living in Solana Beach, Calif.

Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements. Please visit Jim’s online memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign his guest book.