Dudley Ford

Dudley Ford was born at Chattifin Farm, Exbourne, Devonshire England on May 24, 1927 and passed to his heavenly home on April 11, 2025 at the Neepawa Health Centre.

Dudley lived and farmed in the Winchester District since April 1937, when his family arrived at Keyes, having spent some years working in London, Ontario with family and making a trip back to England and a trip out to Manitoba.  He started his schooling in Burr, Ontario, about 10 miles north of London and continued at the Winchester School on April 26 a few days after their arrival at Keyes.

Dudley married Ardell Howard on July 8, 1953 and moved a small house to the farm where they lived until 1964 and then moved down the road, exchanging houses with Dudley’s parents as they were now a family of 5. Bruce born in 1954, Sandra in 1957, and Sharon in 1962. On this farm Dudley built a “farrow to finish” pig barn, milked cows, raised chickens and a few ducks, beef cows and grew grain.  Charlie Smith came to live with the family at this time having previously worked for the Ford family for several years.

After Ardell’s sudden death in 2014, Dudley and Charlie carried on at the farm for a year until Charlie went to live at Country Meadows in Neepawa. Dudley continued to grow a garden, tend to the apple trees and cut the large area of grass on his yard. He was the ever present “need a ride to the field” driver and later the passenger to tag along and see what everyone was up to.

In May 2021, he suffered a stroke and after a few weeks in hospital, moved into Country Meadows, residing there until a few days before his passing.

 Dudley was predeceased by his parents, parents in law, wife Ardell, brother Kenneth, 8 brothers in law, 8 sisters in law. He is survived by his son Bruce (Ellen), daughter Sandra (Roland) Unger and daughter Sharon (Evan) Asselstine, 8 grandchildren and spouses and 13 great grandchildren. As well, his sister Pat Harder, sister in law Hazel Watson and  brother in law Ernie Howard, several nieces and nephews. 

Funeral service to be held on April 17, 2025 at Calvary Chapel, Neepawa

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