Miriam Leatrice Ford Renkawitz was born on November 6, 1967, to the late Thomas J. Ford, Jr. and Mary Pierson Ford in Jacksonville, FL.
Miriam is the oldest of three children. She was raised in a Christian home where emphasis was placed on education and serving the Lord.
She accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age. She was baptized and became a faithful member of St. Matthew Baptist Church.
She leaves to cherish her memory her devoted husband, John Renkawitz; her loving mother, Mary Ford; her son, Dakota Scott; her daughter, Imani Noelle (Abby); their father, Jeff Green; their grandmother, Sue Green; her brother, Tim Ford (Heather); her sister, Tonya Ford Pettigrew. Her aunts, Janie Donaldson, Brenda Brown, Virginia Larkins, Margaret Shipman (Jerome), Erma Ford Ellis, Mattie Ford, Sharon Ford; her sisters-in-law, Janet Folsom (Charles), Patricia Ford (Jeff) and brothers-in-law, Michael Renkawitz (Connie), Steven Renkawitz, and a host of adoring nieces, nephews, cousins, co-workers and friends.
In her earlier years, Miriam attended school where her father taught in Nassau County. She later attended school in Duval County and graduated from William M. Raines High School in the class of 1985.
While there, Miriam played the saxophone in the marching band. After high school, she initially attended Bethune Cookman College. She later moved to South Bend, Indiana and attended Indiana University South Bend. Miriam eventually graduated from the University of North Florida with a bachelor's degree in education. She then spent many years as an English teacher in both Duval and St. Johns counties. Miriam recently received her master's degree in marketing from Southern New Hampshire University.
In 2018, Miriam met and later married John Renkawitz and moved to the beautiful Anna Maria Island in Holmes Beach, Fl. For the last five years she worked for Capital One. Miriam was an avid reader. When she was a little girl, she would read the newspaper with her Daddy and would stay on top of current events. Miriam enjoyed cooking and put love in everything she did. We all loved her mac and cheese. It was the best mac and cheese you ever tasted. She loved music and dancing. And she recently took up a hobby in gardening. We all miss our dear, sweet precious Miriam. We love you so much.
Memorial services will be held 11 AM Saturday, November 16, 2024, at the Five Points Chapel and Gardens, 702 Margaret Street, Jacksonville, Florida. Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory 43rd Street Chapel, 604 43rd Street West, Bradenton, FL 34209, is in charge of arrangements.
