Ann Lutz Ford, 93, passed away on September 6, 2022 in Lenexa, Kansas. She was born Kathryn Ann Lutz in Oak Park, Illinois to Carl Walter Lutz and Dorothy May Engle Lutz on November 19, 1928.
Ann graduated from Evanston Township High School in Illinois and in 1950 graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in psychology from the University of Illinois in Champaign. She was an active member of Kappa Kappa Gamma and the P.E.O. Sisterhood. She was awarded Kappa of the Year in 2009 and, as a Kappa alumna served in many volunteer capacities including several terms as “a most capable and meticulous treasurer, known for her ‘thoroughness, neatness, sage advice and whiz-bang ability with numbers’”.
In 1950, Ann married Griffin Thomas Nelson (1926-1956), at which time they moved to East Hartford, Connecticut where they led the teenage youth group of the Burnside Methodist Church. In 1952, Ann Lutz Nelson and Griff moved to Kansas City, Missouri and bought a home in Prairie Village, Kansas in 1954. Griff and Ann became life-long members of a nearby church that was just getting started, Asbury Methodist, and joined a group of friends to form a Pot Luck Dinner Bridge group that lasted for more than 50 years. Ann was widowed with their two children, Terry and David, in 1956 when Griff died in a car accident while traveling on business.
Two years later, Ann married Donald Walter Ford (1926-2010) and for the next 52 years they guided their four children, who now included Ron and Martha, into adulthood and relished time with family and friends. Although Ann spent several years employed as a medical transcriber in a doctors’ office, she was most proud of her volunteer work, which included being PTA President at her children’s elementary school, organizing mailings for her daughter’s nonprofit, and volunteering with Don for seven summers at the YMCA’s Snow Mountain Ranch at Winter Park, Colorado. After Don’s death in 2010, Ann continued as a volunteer, spending time with the babies at Operation Breakthrough and working at Lakeview Village’s What Not Shop.
In her final years she valued her time spent with Bob Banker. She felt very lucky to find in him someone to care about deeply.
Ann is predeceased by Griffin Nelson, Don Ford, Maribeth and Lisle Rose, Carl Lutz, Marjorie Lutz, Dorothy Engle Lutz, Gerald Ford, Marge Ford, and Arlene Ford. Ann is survived by her four children and their spouses, Terrybeth Nelson Ford (and Joe Beaudette), David Henry Nelson Ford (and Laura Hoeting), Ron Carl Ford (and Annette den Heijer), and Martha Suzanne Ford; and also her loving grandchildren, Jeremy Mage (and Prisker Wenger), Noah Beaudette, Adrianna Beaudette, Lillian Ford, Griffin Ford, Jasper Ford, Joe Ford, Elise Allee, Alex Allee, and Bailey Allee; as well as her great grandchildren, Elio and Benjamin Mage; her nieces and nephews, Jerry Ford (and Heidi), Julie Hines (and David), Sheila Campbell (and Doug), and John Rose; and her foreign exchange daughter and son, Patty Lucas de Payot (and Alberto) and Per Malmquvist (and Karin).
Ann’s family expresses our gratitude to Ann’s Lakeview community of friends, as well as the staff and caregivers there, who were so supportive of her in her last years. The family also is grateful to Ann’s physicians, the late Dr. Hugh McCaughey, Dr. John Dunlap, and Dr. Stephanie Garcia for their loving care.
In lieu of flowers, Ann requested that memorial contributions be sent to Lumin Education either by mail to 924 Wayne Street, Dallas, TX 75223 or online at www.LuminEducation.org
Family will greet friends at a memorial service to be held on Wednesday, December 28, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Lakeview Village’s Heritage Activity Center, 9100 Park Street, Lenexa, Kansas. That same day, a Celebration of Ann’s Life will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. at Lakeview Village’s Southridge Building on the 5th floor in the Treetop Room at 14001 W. 92nd Street, Lenexa, Kansas.
Ann loved life intensely and her family and friends very dearly. She lived a full life and brought a positive attitude to each endeavor. She will be remembered for her love of nature and travel, but most of all for her caring interest in her friends and family members and her volunteer work that reflected her commitment to others. Ann will be missed by many. Her unwavering cheerfulness and determination in the face of challenges and her unconditional love was an example to us all.
