Immediately after graduating high school, she worked as a telephone operator for a company by the name of Bell telephone company of Pennsylvania. Dora reunited with her childhood friend, Thomas H. Ford, who she soon married on the 23rd day of January 1960 in Philadelphia, PA.

During her lifetime she committed passionately to being an active military wife, and mother, traveling to many different cities and Naval bases all over. Dora was a lifetime member of the Fleet Reserve Association – ladies’ auxiliary unit 261, member of the grand jury, as well as the SAR Board – school, attendance, review board.

Dora is survived by 3 children: Melisunde Cox of Hanford, Thomas E. Ford of Philadelphia, and Monita Ford-Ware of Sacramento, 9 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, 3 great-great-grandchildren, 3 siblings: Katherine Bridell, Barry Jackson, and Cynthia Banks of Philadelphia, and the many who called her grandma sugar or momma Connie along with numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years Thomas Ford, mother, father, brothers Edgar, Phillip, Tyrone, and Frankie, sister Phyllis, and great-grandson Daniel.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, September 23rd from 4:00 – 7:00 P.M. at Phipps-Dale Funeral Chapel in Lemoore. A Funeral Service will be held on Friday, September 24th at 12:00 P.M. at Koinonia Church, with burial to follow at Lemoore Cemetery.