Brian William Ford

Mr. Brian William Ford, 58, a resident of Columbia, died March 12, 2022 at Maury Regional Medical Center. A graveside service for Mr. Ford will be conducted Monday, March 21st at 1:00 p.m. at Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery at Pegram with Pastor Steven Morgan officiating. Military honors will be provided by the United States Navy. Condolences may be extended online at www.oakesandnichols.com. Born April 1, 1963 in Alma, Illinois, he was the son of the late John Ford and the late Connie Evans. He graduated from Kinmundy-Alma High School and went on to attend Eastern Illinois University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Science in Education. Brian was a very proud veteran of the United States Navy. He served from 1985-1993 and was a Torpedoman on the USS John Young (DD-973), which was affectionately known as “The Bone” to her sailors. Along with visits to a broad number of countries, Brian participated in two deployments to the Persian Gulf during, and in the aftermath of the Iran-Iraq War. Brian was onboard during Operation Nimble Archer, in response to Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf. Later, Brian played a part in the rescue of a small boat packed with Vietnamese refugees in the South China Sea. Along the way, Brian forged friendships that lasted a lifetime. Brian was a dedicated shipmate and loyal friend. He loved baseball and was a loyal St. Louis Cardinals fan. He also enjoyed hiking, watching old movies and spending time with his family. He married Jill Walters Ford on December 20, 2019. Brian attended Destiny Church. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children, Max and Ruby Ford; stepchildren, Erica (Blake) Osborne and Ashlee (Dathon) Conner; five grandchildren; sister, Kathleen Ford; best friend of many years, John Moynihan; his first wife and mother of his children, Renee Ford. The family suggests memorials be made to Destiny Church P.O. Box 8096 Columbia, Tennessee 38402 or online at https://destinychurchtn.churchcenter.com/giving.