Ford Waring

Ford E. Waring, 97, of Great Falls, a retired college instructor and U.S. Navy veteran, passed away on Sunday, May 6, 2012 of natural causes at a local healthcare facility.A funeral service will be held at First United Methodist Church on Friday, May 11, 2012 at 2:00 p.m.Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery.Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.Ford Edward Waring was born on July 7, 1914 to Reverend Leonard Franklin and Ada Lovina (Maxwell) Waring in West Medway, Massachusetts.Ford was raised in various communities in eastern Kansas where his father served as a Methodist Minister.He graduated from Ottawa High School in Ottawa, Kansas and earned a Baccalaureate and Master's degree from Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Ford built houses for a time but mainly did auto body work for the major dealerships in Kansas City.In 1960 he started the Auto Body Repair Program at the Vocational-Technical School at Pittsburg State University where he taught until 1977.When his sons were young, he was a Boy Scout leader who often took the scout troop on camping trips.On September 5, 1937, Ford married Dorothy Ogg and they shared 63 years together. They lived in Washington, Oregon, and California during the war.Later they lived in Overland Park, Pittsburg and Ottawa, Kansas.In 1997 they moved to Great Falls to be near one of their sons.Ford was known as a person who could build or fix almost anything.During the 1950's he built utility and camp trailers and had a trailer rental and sales business in Overland Park, Kansas. After he moved to Great Falls, he took up wood turning and gave the products of his hobby to his many friends.Ford is survived by his sons, Leonard (Suzanne) Waring of Great Falls and Russell (Lynn) Waring of Westminster, Colorado; grandchildren, Kelly (Kristina) Waring of Anchorage, Alaska, Keith (Linda) Waring, of Billings, Montana, and Allison (Ben) Fletcher of Denver, Colorado; and four great-grandchildren.He was preceded in death by his wife Dorothy and his parents.In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1444, Great Falls, MT 59403 or Boy Scouts of America.Condolences may be posted online at www.schniderfunderalhome.com