Page 10 The Skanner Portland & Seattle March 6, 2019
News
OBITUARY: Elizabeth “Betty” Thompson”, Sept. 30, 1927 - Feb. 25, 2019
Longtime Portland civ-
ic leader, youth advocate
and community support-
er Betty Thompson died
peacefully in her sleep
on February 25, 2019 at
the age of 91, after a long
journey with dementia.
A tenacious trailblazer
during a time when peo-
ple of color were denied
access and opportunity,
Betty tirelessly applied
her keen intellect, or-
ganizational skills and
determination to help
open doors and improve
the quality of life for peo-
ple of all ages. Always
modest and humble- she
shunned the spotlight,
electing instead to share
successes and achieve-
ments with everyone in-
volved. Yet, she remained
a shining star whose
brightness and impact
Elizabeth “Betty” Thompson
were
highly-regard-
ed- from small, grass-
roots organizations to
high-powered decision
makers in local business-
es and city and state gov-
ernment.
Betty’s
behind-the
scenes efforts in the
1980s are credited as a
driving force that helped
defeat intense opposi-
tion when the Portland
City Council voted to
change Union Avenue
to Martin Luther King
Jr. Boulevard. She was
instrumental in numer-
ous sixties-era War on
Poverty programs, and
helped start the Foster
Grandparent Program
in Portland when the na-
tional program was es-
tablished in 1965.
A long-time federal
government employee,
Betty was also a member
and leader in numerous
community, government
and non-profit boards
and organizations, in-
cluding
the
Oregon
Association of Colored
Women’s Clubs, The
National Association of
Colored Women’s Clubs,
The National Council of
Women’s Organizations,
Les Femmes, The Liter-
ary Research Club, The
Metropolitan Steering
Committee, Jack and Jill
of America, Inc., Sisters
Of Providence Child Cen-
ter, and so many more.
Honored in the seventies
as a Portland “Woman of
Achievement”, her dedi-
cation to equal opportu-
nity, education, commu-
nity advancement and
fairness for all continues
to leave a lasting impact
throughout the city of
Portland.
Betty was preceded in
death by her husband
Vernon, and their son
Frank. She will be deep-
ly missed by her loving
family and countless
friends.
There will be a public
viewing on Thursday,
March 7, 2019 from 5:00
p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at Terry
Family Funeral Home,
2337 N. Williams Ave-
nue in Portland. Service
will be held on Friday,
March 8, 2019, at 11:00
a.m. at St. Philip the Dea-
con Episcopal Church in
Portland, where she was
a longtime member.
OBITUARY: Bloomer “Rickey” Ford, Jr.
July 19, 1948 - February 2, 2019
Bloomer Ford, Jr. (Rick-
ey) was born July 19, 1948
in El Dorado, Ark. He de-
parted this life at age 70
on February 2, 2019 in
Portland, Ore. surround-
ed by his family.
A funeral mass will
be held Friday, March 8,
2019 at 11:00 a.m. at St.
Andrew Catholic Church.
He was the third of nine
children born to Ger-
trude Marie Smith and
Bloomer Ford, Sr.
Rickey attended Fair-
view Elementary School
and Washington High
School in El Dorado, Ark.
He learned brake me-
chanics from Savannah
Automotive Institute in
Savannah, Ga. and at-
tended Rock Creek Com-
munity College where
Bloomer “Rickey” Ford, Jr.
he earned a certificate in
diesel mechanics.
After working as a
brake mechanic for
Sears Automotive for
three years, then Brake
and Wheel of Arkansas
in Little Rock, he worked
for Union Pacific Rail-
road. For the last 21 years
he worked as a custodian
for St. Andrew Catholic
Church in Portland, Ore.
Rickey will be remem-
bered as a Master Mechan-
ic and a Jack-of-all-trades
by his family, his friends,
and his community.
In his late teens he
joined his older sister,
Lucille Stokes and her
husband in California as
a drummer in their band.
Rickey moved back to Ar-
kansas wearing sandals,
socks, and an afro. At
age 23, he met and mar-
ried Emma Jackson. They
moved to Little Rock,
Ark. and later to Port-
land, Ore. Rickey was the
father of five children
and six grandchildren.
He joined St. Andrew
Catholic Church in 1978.
His passions were fish-
ing and tinkering. He
loved taking things apart
and working to put them
back together again. He
fancied himself an inven-
tor. He had such great in-
ventions as the lip guard
and the cell phone bell.
Rickey’s favorite sport
was boxing. Most Satur-
day nights were spent
watching HBO featured
fights on television with
his sons, grandsons, and
daughter.
The Dallas Cowboys
was his favorite team.
Rickey loved games of
chance. He bought lot-
tery tickets weekly and
kept them in a shoebox
for a year. He played 2-4-
6 whenever he went to
the dog or horse races.
He proclaimed loudly to
anyone who was listen-
ing that he would one day
be a millionaire.
Rickey was preceded
in death by his father,
Bloomer Ford, Sr., two
sisters, Delores Marie
Ford and Gwendolyn Lu-
cille Stokes, two broth-
ers, Glenn Darnell Ford
and Charles Edward
Ford.
He is survived by his
mother, Gertrude Marie
Ford, 94, (Little Rock,
Ark.), his children, Tri-
na Ford Card/Joseph of
Beaumont, Texas, Deme-
tria Ford, Shannalynn
Ford, Patrick Ford and
Solomon Ford of Port-
land, Ore. Three sisters,
Pamela Ford Crew/ Lar-
ry of Jacksonville, Ark.
Beverly Ford Bursey and
Mary Dean Ford (Little
Rock, Ark.), one brother,
Bobby Joe Ford/Sharon
(Magnolia, Ark.).
He leaves six grandchil-
dren, Sherice Emma-Lee
James, Isaiah Ford-Lu-
cas, Jacob Ford- Phillips,
David Darden, Patrick E
Bloomer Ford, and Em-
maLeigh Card.
A whole host of cous-
ins, nieces, nephews and
friends will mourn his
passing.