Thomas E. Ford passed away at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers on Friday, October 23, 2009. He was 92 years of age. Tom was born in Boston on April 6, 1917 to the late Robert E. & Nora (Moriarty) Ford. Mr. Ford was raised in Boston, graduated from Boston English High School in 1936 and has been a Melrose resident for over 60 years. A proud WWII Army Air Corps Veteran, he was a bombardier on a B-17 with the 2nd Bomb Group, 15th Airforce, 49th Squadron. He rode in the chin turret which was the glass nose in the front bottom of the plane. After his discharge from the service Tom worked as an Office Manager for the U.S. Steel Corp. in Boston for 37 years, retiring in 1972. He was a former member of the Somerville VFW, a present member of the VFW Harold O'Young Post #2394 in Melrose, a longtime member of St. Mary's Church in Melrose and a former member of the Boston YMCA & the Algonquin Club. Mr. Ford was an avid Boston sports fan, especially the Red Sox, he loved spending time with his family & grandchildren and cherished his trips to Ireland. Tom was the husband of the late Edna B. (Bourdelais) Ford. Father of Shelagh Ricker & her husband Ted of Northborough, Linda Pickard of NH, Michael Ford of ME, Virginia Ford of Wakefield, Kathleen Ford of Newton and Christopher Ford & his wife Debra of Lynnfield. Grandfather of Sean, Jennifer, Eric, Ashley & Casey. Great grandfather of Cheyenne & Kalei. Funeral from the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St. Melrose, on Monday, October 26th at 9AM. A Mass of Christian Burial in his honor will be celebrated at St. Mary's Church, Herbert St. Melrose, at 10AM. Relatives & friends respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours Sunday 5-8PM. Interment with full military honors at the VA National Cemetery in Bourne on Tuesday will be private. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be sent to The Fernald League Association of Retarded Citizens, P.O. Box 85, Belmont, MA 02478-0002