Susan Gilbert Ford, 78 of Marion died peacefully on July 10, 2023, after a hard-fought battle against pancreatic cancer. She was the wife of Dr. Lincoln Edmond Ford who predeceased her in 2019.
Susan was born in Cuthbert, Georgia on June 2, 1945, to Marjorie Warner Gilbert and James Frank Gilbert, Jr. Life was beautiful for a couple of years until her parents ruined everything by producing one, then two, then three little sisters, each of whom she loved dearly.
A 1963 graduate of Blakely High School, Susan graduated summa cum laude from Presbyterian College and obtained her master’s and doctorate degrees in physiology at Emory University. She served on the faculties at Georgia State University and the medical schools at Morehouse College and at SUNY (State University of New York) in Stonybrook; held research positions at University of Massachusetts Medical School and at IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis); and conducted research supported by fellowships in London, Plymouth, and Brussels.
Susan was an avid reader of history, biography, natural history, and detective fiction, and a fierce bridge player. She was active in the Sippican Choral Society and the Sippican Woman’s Club for several years, and enjoyed skiing, horseback riding, gardening, and cooking. She was a highly talented knitter specializing in Aran sweaters, happily creating custom garments for friends and family members lucky enough to wander into her sweater zone.
Susan’s and Lincoln’s first loves—after each other—were the grandchildren and sailing. They enjoyed bare boat charters in the Caribbean most winters and eventually retired to Marion and joined the Beverly Yacht Club. In the summertime Susan raced regularly in the Ladies Thursday Afternoon Series at the helm of her classic H-12 Suzie Q.
Susan was predeceased by her husband and her parents. She is survived by her sisters Beverly (Seagrove Beach, FL), Phyllis (Columbus, GA), and Anne (Henrietta, NY), brother-in-law Lorentz Ottzen (Seagrove Beach, FL), and grandchildren Ilaria and Alec Stewart and Malcolm, Oliver, and Thomas Nelson. A cousin, Royce Calhoun (Cincinnati, OH) also held a special place in her heart.
Private arrangements are with the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Road, Rt. 6, Mattapoisett. For the online guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com. In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to honor Susan’s memory might consider a contribution to the ACLU, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Southern Poverty Law Center, or NARAL Pro-Choice America.
What a wonderful life this lovely lady had.
I was 19 years old and finished college early when the director of the Education Department at Georgia Teachers College (now Georgia Southern Univ.) called me into his office and asked if I would go to Blakely to finish the first grade class of Annelle Moseley for the school year 1952. Ms. Moseley had already left when I arrived to a class of 42 first graders. Not knowing any better, I taught these little ones until school was out for he year. So, for about three months I was the first grade teacher for this “child” and 41 others. I am lucky enough to have made a complete copy of the School Attendance Register, (A vase of flowers had overturned prior to my coming) because a perfect copy had to be turned in at he end of school.
I live in Winter Springs, FL, am 91 years old and am trying to contact these students . I was able to talk with Herman Stewart today. He lives in Plant City and can’t believe that I called him.
I am so sorry that I did not get to talk with Susan before her passing. God bless you all,
Rosalyn Brantley Tillis
Miss Brantley, I am Susan’s younger sister, and I remember you. Susan taught me to read, and I read her school books. I was allowed to go to school with her on the last day. Our mother was busy with the other grade mothers getting the picnic ready. I don’t know why, but someone asked me to read to the class, so I did. I remember vividly standing in front of the class reading aloud to them. I was 4 years old, and they were 6 or 7. Susan talked about you a lot at home, always in glowing terms. She would have enjoyed hearing from you. Our cousin Bobby still lives in Blakely. I could put you in touch with him. Many of their classmates are no longer with us.
Best wishes,
Beverly Gilbert Ottzen
Correction: Susan, my father’s third wife, enjoyed time with six of Lincoln’s grandchildren. Brennan Ayers hasn’t been named here for some reason.