wfn.org | Lutheran Chaplain Emeritus of U.S. House James Ford Dies

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 31, 2001

LUTHERAN CHAPLAIN EMERITUS OF U.S. HOUSE JAMES FORD DIES
01-223-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. James D. Ford, 70, chaplain emeritus
of the U.S. House of Representatives, and a pastor of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), died Aug. 27 in Anapolis, Md.,
after an illness.  Ford retired in 2000 after serving 21 years as the
58th chaplain of the U.S. House.
     A private memorial service was held Aug. 31.  A public memorial
service is being planned for Capitol Hill in September.  Ford was a
member of St. Mark Lutheran Church, Springfield, Va.
     Ford was born July 25, 1931, the son and grandson of Lutheran
pastors, in Sioux Falls, S.D.  A graduate of Gustavus Adolphus
College, St. Peter, Minn., and Augustana Theological Seminary, Rock
Island, Ill., Ford was ordained in 1958 in the former Augustana
Evangelical Lutheran Church.  He served as pastor of Bethany Elim
Lutheran Church, Ivanhoe, Minn.
     Ford was named assistant chaplain, Cadet Chapel, United States
Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., in 1961 and senior chaplain in
1965.  He became chaplain of the U.S. House in January 1979.
     The Rev. Daniel P. Coughlin, a Roman Catholic priest from
Chicago, was sworn in as chaplain of the U.S. House in March 2000.
     "It's been an exciting ministry in its own way, with its own
challenges," said Ford at his retirement.  "It's time to retire, and
in many ways I don't want to retire ... such interesting things to
do, so many interesting people."
     Ford is survived by his wife, Marcia Ruth Sodergren Ford, four
daughters and a son.
-- -- --
     The ELCA News release on Ford's retirement is located at
http://listserv.elca.org/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=ind0005&L=elcanews&P=R767
on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html