Jacqueline Ford

Jacqueline Jeanne Ford, age 73, a Casper native, after a seven year battle with Idiopathic Pulmonary
Fibrosis, passed away peacefully in her sleep at home here in Casper early Thursday morning April 9,
2020. She was born July 15, 1946 in Casper to Bion John "BJ" and Mary Margery (Harksen)
Merchant. Jacqueline attended local grade school, Junior High, and graduated from NCHS in 1964. In
late 1971, while working as a Secretary at the Employment Security Commission of Wyoming (ESC)
in Casper, she met Dale, an old acquaintance, who asked her if she would like to go to dinner on New
Year's Eve. She accepted. A month later Dale proposed to her and she accepted. On March 11, 1972,
Jacqueline and Dale were married at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Casper. She chose as her
vocation to be a "stay-at-home" mom, which Dale readily agreed. The example she set for her children
provided them with the character stability that they would need as they grew up. After high school
graduation, Jacqueline worked at Mountain Bell Telephone as a switchboard operator and later did the
same at Pacific Power and Light Co. (PP&L) in Casper. She never forgot the experience she had with
PP&L on one day during July 1969 as Neil Armstrong was getting ready to climb down the lunar
module and take that famous first step. At that time a partial power outage occurred in Casper. She
said the switchboard lit up like the 4th of July with the calls coming in. Later, while doing her hardest
job as a stay-at-home mom, she and her best friend, Marcia Walker worked as Boy Scout troop leaders.
They made a great team. As time marched on, Jacqueline also worked at Catholic Social Services, the
Boise Cascade call center, the Job Corps as a job placement specialist, the 2000 and 2010 Census office
in Casper, and most recently as a Companion and Job Coach with the I-Reach agency which serves
developmentally disabled citizens.

Jacqueline was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society at Our Lady of Fatima church in Casper. She
was a great seamstress and made some of her own clothes, in addition to making the drapes and
curtains for the home. Working in the garden was her favorite outdoor activity which she had to stop
doing due to her illness. She made some nice looking socks and caps using her knitting/crocheting
skills. Reading, playing Mahjong with friends and cards with her mother were her favorite activities.
This past summer she occasionally joined her husband in watching the Cleveland Indians baseball team
on the MLB network and became familiar with many of the rules and game logistics.

Her demeanor, kindness, and caring attitude toward her family and others was a gift from God. She
had a talent when it came to making people feel better (no matter what kind of bad day they might be
experiencing). She was a great wife and an even better mother. She had the voice of an angel.

Jacqueline is survived by her husband, Dale, four children, Stephanie Sidebottom (Kelcey), Dennis
Ford ( Davette), Patrick Ford (Dawn), and Paul Ford, ten grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
She is also survived by her sister, Myrna Courtney ( Jerry), and loving mother, Margery Merchant. She
was preceded by her father B.J. Merchant, sister Kitty Ainsworth, brother John Merchant, and by one
grandson, Bennett Ford.

A very special thank you to the staff at Frontier Home Health and Hospice for the quality and loving
care they provided Jacqueline during the past two months. The familiy's prayers go out to these
wonderful and professional people.

Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Bustard & Jacoby Funeral Home, 600 CY Avenue, Casper, WY 82601.