Richard Alan Ford
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Many things have - or rather, had - gone into creating the person that I was: From my Birth family, I learned tolerance, and a love of peace (but not by example). From the United States Air Force, I learned to love travel. From the United States Army, I learned that the military life was not for me. The Southern Baptist Convention taught me religion, but Orthodoxy taught me Christ. Somewhere between the two, Gospel Outreach taught me the love of Community. But it was from hard experiences that I learned the ways of this world. If indeed I have yet.
My first wife taught me all the lessons I didn't bother learning from my birth family and refreshed my memory of the ones I'd forgotten. My second wife taught me that I hadn't learned these lessons as well as I thought I had.
Having children taught me to be a father; to love my family, and to grieve over losing contact with them. I haven't taught myself anything, except that I'm not easy to teach. Death has taught me the futility of all of this. What I'm learning now, only God knows. Hopefully, I'll catch on fast.
I was many things when I was alive, most of them unpleasant. But not all of them. I have - in my turn - been a problem child, a troubled teenager, a rebellious youth, and an anguished adult. But in between these things, I've done OK, occasionally. But now that I'm not alive, none of this really matters, at least not to me. Perhaps someone of those whom I have left behind in my final departure will disagree with my pessimistic sentiment; if they do so, please include my obituary after this line so my story will be completed...
Richard Alan Ford, 65, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Friday, February 4, 2022, after several long illnesses. Richard was an extremely intelligent, God-fearing man who loved the outdoors. He loved to travel, roam, and explore new places. Richard suffered from Tourette's Syndrome, ADHD, and OCD for most of his life but said he finally found his peace in the Bible. He was reborn into the body of Christ on May 14, 1971. Soon after, he felt called to teach the Gospel and became licensed to preach in Concoli, Panama Canal Zone in 1973. Richard then joined the United States Army and was Honorably Discharged in May of 1975. After, he lived a nomadic lifestyle searching for his place in this world for several years, mostly in California and the Western US before settling back down in East Tennessee. He loved to read and re-read the Bible in as many versions as he could find and enjoyed researching different religions. He taught himself how to read Greek and Arabic. Richard owned his own business after mastering the art of vinyl and leather repair. He worked for many local car dealerships repairing auto interiors. While working in the car business, Richard was affectionately known as "The Invisible Man" for his quiet demeanor or "Beethoven" for his love of Classical music. Richard was extremely creative and a talented artist and writer. He enjoyed journaling, writing poems, short stories, novellas and drawing. Richard's true love was always books. He loved to read anything pertaining to Science-Fiction, with Lord of the Rings being a sentimental favorite. As a hobby and then a second business, he enjoyed restoring and selling rare antique books at flea markets and collecting/trading stamps from all over the world. In 1998, Richard felt called back to the Church and was ordained as the Reverend Thuma in accordance with the Orthodox Catholic Faith for Saint Demetrios Antiochian Catholic Church in Knoxville. After losing his vision in 2015, he spent his final years passing the time listening to documentaries and books on tape, eating sushi, and listening to a very wide variety of styles of music.
Richard wanted to extend a special thank you to the staff and neighbors at Candleridge Apartments and DaVita Knoxville Dialysis Center for their kindness. He also wanted to recognize and thank special friends Jennifer Fuller and Steve McSween. Per his wishes, his cremains will be laid to rest at East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery, 2200 E. Governor John Sevier Highway, in Knoxville, on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, at 2:00pm with Father Anthony Stratis officiating. In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations in Richard's memory to the Tourette Association of America, 42-40 Bell Boulevard, Suite 205, Bayside, NY 11361 or East Tennessee Kidney Foundation, P.O. Box 22072, Knoxville, TN 37933. Upon Whom be Peace, Uncle. You will be missed.