Obituary of Wendy Jean Ford

Wendy was born December 18, 1952, in Las Vegas, Nevada, to Jesse and Doris Thurgood. She was the second-born child. The family already had a young Russell, and soon after Wendy came Lora (Sherman, now deceased), and a little later, Robert "Rob", and then Kathy (Walker). They grew up simply but proud, with Jesse being a truck driver and Doris a homemaker, who also worked as a bookkeeper. Wendy, being the oldest daughter, played a large role in helping cook and clean for the family, and tend to the other siblings. The youngest of the kids, Kathy, once commented that it was, "Worse to deal with an upset Wen (as she was affectionately called) than it was to deal with Mom." During her school years, Wendy enjoyed playing field hockey in school and was really interested in art classes as well. Wendy was always a hard worker. Wanting to earn her own money, while still attending Western High School, she also worked at Taco Bell and Wienerschnitzel. Her younger sister Lora (Lori as the family called her) also worked with her, along with their future Sister-in-Law, Lynne, and oh the stories they would tell of their escapades, complete with food fights with flying tacos!Shortly after high school, Wendy met William Ford "Bill" through her big brother, Russell. Bill owned a local gas station, and he and Russell were in the same line of work and became friends. Wendy and Bill were married on July 9, 1975, and that's when she, Bill, a young William Ford "Bill, Jr." and a baby, Danielle "Dani", became a family. Shortly after, Bill and Wendy moved their young family to Colorado. They first settled in Denver, but after a weekend drive to what was then a very small Colorado Springs, they packed up and decided to move south. Their first home was in Woodland Park, where Wendy had her first experiences with riding horses and driving in the snow. Not a fan of the snow and having to drive Ute Pass every day into town for work, she and Bill ultimately moved into Colorado Springs. The family grew by two more when Dalas was born in 1976, and later Damon in 1987 (now deceased).For most of her adult life, Bill and Wendy were self-employed car dealers. B&W Auto Sales (for Bill and Wendy) operated for years from the late 70's and early 80's in various locations in Colorado Springs and Calhan, until Bill and Wendy retired and shut down the business for good in 2017. Wendy ran the retail car lot and handled sales, while Bill would go to the auctions and buy the cars. They were very well regarded and had lots of repeat customers over the years. Wendy actually held one of the first dealer licenses issued to a female by the State of Colorado. She also served as President of the former Rocky Mountain Independent Auto Dealers Association for some time. After working alongside Bill at their dealership, Wendy went on to drive a school bus for Falcon District 49, and later served as Transportation Manager for Intermountain Coach. Wendy was an amazing driver. She competed in, and won, bus driving "rodeo" skill competitions. Even though Wendy always worked, she was an amazing mother to her children. She attended the football and softball games, track meets, 4-H horse shows, and the band concerts. She was very vocal too, sometimes to Dalas's embarrassment, as she would give "feedback" to other people's kids, suggesting they not swing at bad pitches or move their bodies around the bases quicker. But that was Wendy. She was direct and to-the-point. People knew where they stood with her. But she also had a huge heart, embodied kindness and love, and taught her children to have empathy for others and not to judge. Wendy did not tolerate meanness, and taught her kids to treat others the way they wanted to be treated. If you were Wendy's friend, she cared deeply not just for you, but for everyone important to you, also. She was fierce in protecting her family and handling adversity. After her kids were grown, when she turned 40, Wendy decided she was going to learn to ride a motorcycle. It was something she always wanted to do whenever she saw a lady biker on the road. She decided at this point in her life, she deserved to focus on herself a little. She went on to get her license and bought her first motorcycle, a Suzuki Volusia - candy apple red. Wendy went on to join the local chapter of Women on Wheels, the Mountain Shadow Riders. These ladies became like a second family to her. She made many close friends and rode her bike all over Colorado, and also to motorcycles rallies and ride-ins in other states. She had a planning role in the annual charity ride for breast cancer awareness that her local riding group held every year. Later, she converted from two wheels to three, when her younger brother Rob built a custom trike for her. That trike was her prized possession. It was so large, so red, and so eye-catching that she drew looks and interest everywhere she went. She won numerous "People's Choice" trophies in local bike competitions, and was a well-known regular in the Veterans' Day Parade. She felt powerful and free out on the road, she once told Dalas. It was her favorite pastime, and gave her many new travel experiences and friendships along the way. Wendy will be dearly missed by her friends and family. Her huge heart, warm smile, and contagious laughter will never be forgotten. Wendy was more than just a wife and mother. She was a best friend to her girls, and constant cheerleader to her sons. Her family was her life. Her pride and joy. Her biggest accomplishments, as she saw them. Bill, Sr. now resides in a memory care facility, and Bill Jr., Dani, and Dalas will spend their lives honoring her memory and hoping to make her proud.Celebration of Life, 2:00PM, Sunday, June 27, 2021, The Chicken Coop, 11627 Black Forest Road, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80908. Events Celebration of Life Sunday, June 27, 2021 2:00PM The Chicken Coop 11627 Black Forest Road Colorado Springs, CO 80908 Phone: (719) 495-3189