Connie Thurston Ford

Connie Thurston LaMar Martin Ford, our dear, sweet wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend, left this earthly existence on Saturday, May 16, 2009 to attend a beautiful family reunion with her loved ones in Heaven.

She was born June 8, 1933 in Morgan, Utah, delivered by her father at their home.

Connie grew up in a wonderful and loving family of three brothers and three sisters. She attended school in Morgan. While living at home, she worked many long and hard hours on the farm. She learned to cook and sew at a young age. She was a wonderful cook and seamstress. We loved her delicious homemade meals. Her family especially loved her homemade rolls and fresh hot bread, which we could smell all through the house.

She was raised in the LDS Church and later became a member of the Lutheran Church.

Connie married Earl G. LaMar on March 17, 1951 and they had four children. They moved from Morgan, Utah to Roy, Utah in 1959 where they raised their family. Earl and Connie divorced in 1976. She later met and married Byron Martin, he passed away four years later. She moved to Lacey, Washington in 1989 where she worked at Ft. Lewis. She met and later married, Robert L. Ford, in 1993. Upon retirement she and Bob moved to Palm Springs, CA and later to their present home in Mesquite, NV. She and Bob enjoyed many years of happiness together traveling in their motor home across country, taking a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon and para-sailing in Mexico while in their 60''s. She was always ready for an adventure.

She started working outside the home when her youngest entered first grade. She worked at Weber County Memorial Hospital as a nurse''s aide, I.R.S., Defense Depot, Hill AFB, and Ft. Lewis, WA. She worked part-time at Kar Kwik "just to keep busy".

Connie enjoyed traveling, golfing, baking, cooking and sewing. She was an extremely talented seamstress, reupholstering her couches and chairs, sewing curtains for her windows, boat seat covers, and suits for her husband. She took wonderful care of her children. When her children were young, she would make their clothes, cowboy shirts with snaps for her sons, coats and dresses for her daughter. If it could be sewn, she could sew it. In later years she enjoyed sewing many beautiful dresses for her daughter, granddaughters and clothes for her grandsons.

She deeply loved her children and supported them in all of their endeavors, attending their sports activities, singing concerts, band concerts and all school functions. She had been a charter member of the Roy High School Booster Club. As a mother, she passed along many wonderful qualities to her children, a sense of honesty, hard work and good moral values, along with that great sense of humor, which she passed to her sons. She was proud of her posterity.

Connie was a kind, sweet, loving, caring, and self-less person, always putting the needs of others before her own. When we would visit her, we would never leave empty handed, she would give us something she bought or something she made or baked.

She was morning person, with a cheerful and positive disposition. She was always busy doing something, she could never be found sitting idle. Even when she retired, she would still wake up early and never slow down. She was hard to keep up with.

Connie never met a stranger and would quickly become a friend to everyone she would meet. She always had a smile to share along with a joke to tell. She had a wonderful sense of humor which she kept to the end, even when she was sick. She never wanted us to worry about her, when she was sick she would say, "I will be all right, I will get better". She often spoke of her brother, Steve, whom she loved dearly. He passed away at the age of 19 on May 16, 1950, the same day as Connie''s passing, May 16, 2009. She deeply missed him and she is now happy to see and be with him again.

Connie lived life to the fullest. She was joy to be around. You are no longer sick and in pain, but now you are healthy, happy and walking with your loved ones. We love you Mom, we''ll miss you. You will live forever in our hearts. Until we meet again.

She is survived by her husband, Robert L. Ford; four children, Bert (Debbie) LaMar, West Point; Linda (Scott) Baird, Riverdale; George (Jeanne) LaMar, West Point; Dennis (Jan) LaMar, Syracuse; nine grandchildren, five great-grandchildren; two brothers, Dale (Barbara) Thurston, Morgan; Fred (Jean) Thurston, Morgan; two sisters, Nell (Jim) Nickerson, Mt. Green; Ann (Michael) McMillan, Mt. Green; and many nieces and nephews.

Connie was preceded in death by her parents, Glen and Ada Thurston, a brother, Steve Thurston, a sister, Sally Rust, and her second husband, Byron Martin.

The would like to express sincere appreciation to the staff at Thatcher Brook Care Center for showing kindness, caring and compassion to our mother in her final days. Thanks also to her cousin, Bertie and sisters and bothers, Nell, Ann, Dale and Fred for the many phone calls and visits that Mom enjoyed. A special thanks to her granddaughters, Megan, Nikki and Tori for checking on Grandma and spending time with her every day while she was sick.

At her request there will be no viewing or funeral. A private graveside service will be held for family members.

E-mail condolences to the family at www.lindquistmortuary.com