Harley A. Ford, 89 of Adrian, MO, died Sunday, February 7, 2010 at the Cass Regional Medical Center in Harrisonville, MO. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, February 13, 2010 at the Atkinson Chapel in Adrian. Burial will be in Crescent Hill Cemetery, Adrian. Friends may call from 7:00-9:00 p.m. Friday, February 12 at the chapel.

Harley was born February 22, 1920 in Deepwater, MO. He attended school in Missouri. He was united in marriage to Kathryn Simonson on October 28, 1937 in Des Moines, IA and to this union two children were born, James Rodger and Sherri Ann. Kathryn preceded him in death on November 13, 1999.

Harley had a 25-year career in the Army. Serving in the Field Artillery, he served in World War II in Italy and North Africa and the Korean War. During that time, he also was a professor of Military Service & Tactics at the University of Missouri-Columbia and Iowa State University. He was in the Fifth Army and received the following medals: Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal (6 awards), European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal and United Nations Service Medal. Upon his retirement in October, 1960, Harley moved to Adrian, MO and began his second career as an Angus farmer. During this time, Zodiac Angus Farm won numerous championships at the Bates County Fair, Missouri State Fair and American Royal. His herd had been active down through the years, hosting a number of production sales and providing seed stock that were used to establish herds for other breeders. In January, 2004, Harley was presented with the American Angus Association Historic Herd Award, an honor given to Angus herds that have continually produced registered Angus cattle by the same family for 50 years or more. Numerous times in the later years, attending various Angus sales, he was also recognized as the oldest continuously living Angus breeder in Missouri. Upon his death, he was running an approximately 100-herd operation.

In addition to his wife, Harley was preceded in death by one sister, Bonnie June Manuel, one brother, Raymond C. Ford, one sister-in-law, Margie L. Ford, one niece, Carol K. Smith and two great-nephews, David Cook and Christopher Cook. He is survived by his son, James R. Ford, LaPalma, CA; daughter, Sherri A. Ford, Kansas City, MO; one niece, JoAnn Cook, Eudora, KS; two nephews, Gene R. Ford, Kansas City, MO and Roger Ford, Lawrence, KS; 10 great-nieces and nephews; 22 great-great-nieces and nephews; two great-great-great-nieces and nephews and companion, Alice Haley of Adrian, MO.