Kathleen "Kathy" Ford, age 87, passed away on October 29, 2025.

Kathleen “Kathy” Ford, born Kathleen Healy in 1938 in Brooklyn, New York, passed peacefully at home in Kissee Mills, Missouri on October 29th, surrounded by her children and family. She was 87 years old.

Kathy was the daughter of Anne Moylan and William Healy, who preceded her in death. She spent her early years in New York and Pennsylvania before moving west to Nevada and then California. She later attended Citrus College in Azusa, California — and it was there, at the Azusa Bowl bowling alley, that she met the love of her life, Ben Ford. They built a life of loyalty, humor, and partnership that lasted until Ben’s passing in 2004. Service defined Kathy’s life.

After relocating to Idaho in 1971, Kathy began her work with the Western Idaho Community Action Program (WICAP), a nonprofit that supports underserved families with food, shelter, education, and essential services. She started in 1974 as a secretary and, through hard work, heart, and absolute determination, rose to lead the organization. Under her leadership, WICAP provided life-changing support for thousands of Idaho families in need.

Kathy later served as the Head Start Director for the State of Idaho, a role she held for 10 years until her retirement in 1999. She believed deeply that every child deserved safety, dignity, and a fair start — and she fought for that every single day. While living in New Plymouth and Payette, she also served her community as Director of the Payette County Recreation District, giving families and kids places to learn, play, compete and belong.

After retirement, Kathy moved with Ben to Branson, Missouri. She told everyone she was going to relax, enjoy the shows, and take it easy. But slowing down wasn’t in her nature. What began as a “little, part-time job” became a 17-year career at Silver Dollar City in reservations and season tickets. There, she became affectionately known as “Granny GPS.”

If you were lost in the Ozarks on your way to the park, Kathy could find you in seconds. She’d ask, “Okay, what did you just pass? Which side of the road was it on? Do you see ___?” Then, confident and calm: “Alright. I know where you are. We’re gonna get you in from there. Here’s what you’re gonna do…” She didn’t just give directions; she reassured people. She made strangers feel taken care of. That’s who she was. If you voted in Taney County over the past several years, you may have noticed Kathy volunteering at the polls - in all of her spare time. She always enjoyed volunteering at the polls, which she felt kept her connected to the community and she especially loved asking uniformed officers who showed up to vote, “May I see your license and registration please?”. Engaging with others and making them smile was her Super Power.

Kathy never met a stranger. Sit next to her on a plane and you were friends by landing. Share an elevator ride and she’d know your name. Stand in a grocery checkout line next to her for 45 seconds and she’d know where you were from, how many grandkids you had, and what kind of day you were having — and you’d walk away thinking, “That was a really nice lady.” Her smile lit up every room, and her laughter almost always followed a moment later.

She loved to travel and said yes to life. She sailed on nearly twenty cruises with her “New York cousins,” the Motherways. She was always packed and ready to go anywhere with her son Scott, including unforgettable trips to Australia, New Zealand, Belize, Mexico, and Ireland. All she ever needed was an invitation and a day to pack.

To her family, she was the glue: the steady voice, the helper, the advocate, the center. She lived for her people and for anyone else who needed a little bit of kindness.

Kathy is survived by her brother, Bill Healy, daughter, Raeanne Zurn (husband Andrew); her son, Scott Ford (wife Nalani); her stepson, Kenny Meyer; her grandchildren, Lindsey Bright (husband Adam), Aaron Gregory (wife Maria), Brooke Bulkeley (husband Samuel), and Michael Van Ravenswaay (wife Natasha); and her great-grandchildren, Olivia Kossman, Kamber Bright, Rece Bright, Owen Gregory, Banks Gregory, Charlotte Bulkeley, and Kira Van Ravenswaay.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Anne Moylan and William Healy; her sisters Anne and Rosemary Healy; her husband, Ben Ford; and her stepson, David Meyer.

Though she split her time in many places over the years, Kathy considered both New Plymouth, Idaho and Branson, Missouri to be “home,” and she loved both communities with her whole heart.

The family will schedule a celebration of life at a later date in 2026. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Kathy’s honor to one of her two favorites: Coffee Creations in Branson, Missouri (https://coffeecreationscafe.org), or St. Jude Children’s Hospital (https://www.stjude.org).

“Our world is a little less bright without her smile and a little quieter without her laughter, but her spirit will guide her family and many others for years to come. Rest in Peace Gigi”

Final arrangements were made with assistance from Snapp-Bearden Forsyth Chapel, Forsyth, Missouri.