Donald Clayton Ford

Dr. Donald Clayton Ford, Clayton County's first veterinarian, passed away peacefully at his home in Forest Park, GA on Wednesday evening, October 17, from complications of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). He was 83. Dr. Ford was a direct descendant of Augustine Smith Clayton, for whom Clayton County was named. In the 1950's Dr. Ford worked tirelessly to rid Clayton County's small animals of rabies with weekend clinics around the county. Throughout the 1960's and 1970's, Dr. Ford actively promoted the growth and development of his community through his leadership efforts as a founding member and president of the local Rotary Club and contributions to other civic and church activities. Dr. Ford was a loving and devoted husband of sixty years to his beautiful and adoring wife Elizabeth Bennett Ford. He and Elizabeth modeled unsurpassed love for and devotion to their six children. Dr. Ford is survived by his wife Elizabeth, his children Don (Linda), Alan (Jill), Gordon (Regina), Suzanne (Mark), Martin, and Laura (Keith) as well as their fourteen grandchildren. In lieu of flowers the family requests that support be provided to the ALS Association of Georgia, 1955 Cliff Valley Way, Ste. 116, Atlanta, Ga. 30329. Services for Mr. Ford will be held at Philadelphia Presbyterian Church in Morrow, Ga on Saturday, October 20, 2012 at 3:00pm. Interment to follow at the church cemetery. Visitation Friday from 4-7pm at the funeral home and on Saturday, 2-3pm at the church. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Donald Clayton Ford, please visit our flower store.