Richard Thornton Ford, D.D.S.

Richard T. Ford, D.D.S., age 88 of New London, passed away Wednesday, March 29, at Glen Oaks Care Center in New London.

A celebration of life service will be held at 3pm on Friday, April 14, at Faith Lutheran Church in Spicer. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be later this spring at a location to be determined. Arrangements are entrusted to the Peterson Brothers Green Lake Funeral Home in Spicer.  www.petersonbrothers.com

Richard Thornton Ford was born on January 12, 1935, in Anoka, Minnesota, the son of Carroll and Lois Ford. He graduated from Anoka High School in 1953 and attended Carlton College, an experience that he loved. He later graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry in 1961. On December 30 of that year, Richard was united in marriage to Elaine Stageberg in a double wedding ceremony with her twin sister. 

From 1962 -1964, Richard & Elaine lived in Ft. Riley, Kansas while he served in the U.S. Army. During this time, they welcomed their son, Gregory. Following Richard’s military discharge, the family moved to Wayzata where he began practicing dentistry. During this time, they welcomed their daughter, Elizabeth. In 1972, they moved to Vermillion, SD where he joined his brother-in-law in a private dental practice. He later earned a Master’s degree in Education and returned to the University of Minnesota and became a Professor in the School of Dentistry until his retirement. While he was teaching, he also maintained a practice at the University of Minnesota Faculty Dental Clinic.

Richard enjoyed lots of hobbies including hunting, fishing, skiing, painting, drawing, writing, framing, shadow boxes, and all types of building projects. He absolutely loved spending time in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and on Green Lake in Spicer.

Richard is survived by his wife, Elaine, and his two children, Greg Ford of Northfield and Betsy Bonnema of Willmar. He has three grandchildren, Elaine Bonnema (fiancé, Chris Spadino), Jessica Bonnema, and Rachel Ford.