Margaret Yonce Ford

West Columbia - Margaret Yonce Ford, 94, died peacefully on June 30, 2017 at National Healthcare, West Columbia, South Carolina. A memorial service will be held on Friday, July 7, 2017 at 11:00 A.M. at Our Saviour Lutheran Church, 1500 Sunset Boulevard, West Columbia, South Carolina. Visitation will be at 10:00 in the church fellowship hall. The Reverend Lance Henderson will officiate. Born in 1922 in rural Edgefield County, SC, Margaret was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She was the daughter of the late Rufus Clinton and Abie Azilee Yonce. After graduating from Johnston High School, Margaret moved to Greenville, SC where she worked for Southern Bell. She devoted many years working with the Kindergarten program at Trinity Lutheran Day School in Greenville. Later she moved to West Columbia where she worked in Lexington School District Two as a teacher assistant at Saluda River Elementary School. After retirement, Margaret volunteered at Lexington Medical Center logging over 7000 hours and was honored with the award of Volunteer of the Year. Margaret was a devout Christian and participated in Sunday School, WELCA, Altar Guild and various committees at Mt Calvary Lutheran in Johnston, Trinity Lutheran in Greenville, and Our Saviour Lutheran in West Columbia. Margaret's life was marked by a positive attitude, a strong faith in God and a devotion to her family and friends. She was known as an outstanding cook and her baklava was cherished by all that tasted it. Survivors include her son, Don Ford and his wife, Sylvia of West Columbia; grandchildren, Melissa Ford Vagts (James) of Derby, Kansas and Susan Ford Smith (Jason) of Simpsonville; great grandchildren, Sutton Rhodes Smith, Cameron James Vagts, and Sidney Marion Smith; nephew Larry Yonce (Judy) of Greenwood and their daughter Amy Bartley (Shelby) and children Jackson and Leila of Simpsonville; niece Bonnie Barnes (Ted) of Dumfries, Virginia and their children Wendy and Cydney. Margaret was predeceased by her husband, Henry Edward Ford; her parents; her sister, Virginia Dale Massey and her brother, Lalun Eugene Yonce. The family would like to express their deepest appreciation to Oakleaf Village in Lexington, SC, where Margaret resided for the last 6 years and to National Healthcare Lexington, where she was cared for the last 3 months of her life. Memorials may be made to Our Saviour Lutheran Church, 1500 Sunset Blvd., West Columbia, SC 29169 or to a charity of one's choice. Thompson Funeral Home, West Columbia is assisting the family with arrangements.