BURTON – Former Geauga County Common Pleas Court Judge Robert Barney Ford, of Burton, died Monday, Oct. 15, 2018, after a long illness. He was 97.
Born Oct. 4, 1921, in Zanesville, Ford lived in Erie, Pa., graduating from Strong Vincent High School, before taking up residence in his family’s ancestral home in Burton. He is the great-grandson of Ohio Gov. Seabury Ford.
Ford graduated from The Ohio State University and was commissioned Lieutenant in the U.S. Army field artillery in 1940. He commanded Battery C, 152nd Field Artillery in combat in France and Germany in World War II, including the Battle of the Bulge, and rose to the rank of Major. He was awarded the Bronze Star.
After the war, Ford attended Western Reserve University Law School, and practiced law briefly before he was appointed Judge of the Geauga County Probate and Juvenile Court in 1952 by then-Gov. Frank Lausche. He later ascended to the Common Pleas bench, where he served until his retirement in 1980.
During his time on the bench, Ford also was active in judicial reform statewide and led the committee that rewrote judicial guidelines for jury instructions under the direction of the Supreme Court of Ohio.
After retiring from the Geauga County bench, Ford served as visiting judge for the Ohio Supreme Court, hearing cases in many Ohio cities, including Cleveland, Youngstown, Toledo and Akron.
Ford is survived by his two sons, Robert (Emily) Ford and Thomas (Anna) Ford; four grandchildren, Rebecca (Rolando) Ford-Paz, Rachel Ford, Nathan (Isobel) Ford and Benjamin (Caitlin) Ford; and three great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Margaret Ford; first wife, Alice Ford; second wife, Ina Ford; sister, Margaret Patricia Ford; and brother, Harvey Seabury Ford.
Private services will be held.
In his memory, donations can be made to the Burton Public Library, P.O. Box 427, Burton, OH 44021, or Burton Historic District Association, P.O. Box 937, Burton, OH 44021.
Russell-Sly Family Funeral Home in Middlefield assisted family with arrangements. Share memories and condolences at www.russellslyfh.com.