Marion Ford

Marion Ford (née Cavagnaro) of Hickory, NC died of non-Hodgkins lymphoma on Thursday, July 27, 2017 at the age of 76.  She died at Catawba Regional Hospice.  Marion was born in Long Island City, NY in January 1941 to Ernest J. Cavagnaro Sr. and Marion Bennett Cavagnaro. Her parents raised her in East Hampton, NY, where Marion enjoyed ice skating on the town’s frozen pond in winter and bathing at the town’s warm beaches in the summer.  She was an animal lover, sharing her formative years with dogs, cats, and horses.  As a young woman, Marion moved to Queens and worked for General Electric in Manhattan, where she met her husband.  Together they lived in New Jersey, Texas, and The Netherlands, and travelled widely before retiring to Hickory, NC.  She loved gardening and shopping, and never came across a yard ornament she didn’t like. Marion is survived by Michael J. Ford, Jr., her husband, and her two children: her favorite, Kevin M. Ford, and his wife Suzy of Chicago, IL; and her second but also her favorite, Amy E. Thiel (née Ford), and her husband Josh of Nassau, NY (Rensselaer County).  Her brother Ernest J. Cavagnaro Jr. and sister-in-law Jane survive her.  Marion was blessed with two grandchildren, Noah and Aidan Thiel, and two grandpuppies, Addison Ford and Willow Thiel.  Finally, Marion is also survived by Maggie, her indestructible Cairn Terrier. Visitation will be held Tuesday, August 1, 2017 from (2 PM to 5 PM) and from (7 PM to 9 PM) at Jenkins Funeral Home in Newton, NC.  A funeral mass will be held at St. Dorothy’s Catholic Church in Lincolnton the following day, Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 11 AM and to be followed by lunch.  In lieu of flowers, donations to the Lymphoma Research Foundation [https://community.lymphoma.org/donatenow] and/or The Humane Society of the United States of America [http://www.humanesociety.org/donate/] would be deeply appreciated. Please sign the online guestbook at www.jenkinsfuneralhome.net. The Ford family has entrusted arrangements to Jenkins Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Newton 828-464-1555.