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'You took a beautiful spirit:' Family remembers life of fatally shot Macon woman

The Bibb County Sheriff's Office is looking for the person who killed 49-year-old Ida Ford last Monday.

Meanwhile, her family is searching for answers as to why their loved one was fatally shot a block away from her home.

According to Bibb Coroner Leon Jones, Ford's body was found less than a block away from her house on the corner of Winship Street and Madden Avenue with several gunshot wounds.

Gabrielle Dawkins spoke to Ford's family and has more.

On Monday, a passerby found 49-year-old Ida Ford unconscious near her home.

Ford's youngest daughter, Tracianna Taylor, says she is still in shock that her mother is no longer here.

"A lot of people miss her. You took a beautiful spirit," said Taylor.

"We got to live with this everyday now that we can't see her face," said another one of Ford's daughters, Cherry Mann.

"...And spend time with her and tell her that we love her. We can't even give her a hug again," said Taylor.

Taylor said that she spoke to her mother just hours before she was found dead.

"She wanted me to come pick her up and bring her home, but I was like, 'I'm sick, I can't get out right now,' which I should have...if I'd known that would be the last time I was going to see her," said Taylor.

Ford, a mother of six, worked as a custodian at First Baptist Church in Macon.

Pastor Scott Dickison says he was stunned to hear of her sudden death.

"Ida had a big personality, a big laugh, a big personality at our church. We really loved her; we loved working with her," said Dickison.

Raymond Dexter Jones, who worked alongside Ford for the past two years, said Ford "was a special kind of person. She had her own way of doing things."

He describes opening her closet door after hearing about her death and feeling a rush of emotions and crying.

He said that Ford would often send him messages of encouragement throughout the year and he will truly miss working with her.

"I am grateful that I had the opportunity to work with her and I'm glad that I had the opportunity to meet her," said Jones.

Her family says that she was a warm, sweet person, but all they have now are memories of her.

"She was very loving. She wanted to be around family all of the time. Hard working. She was very dedicated to her job," said Taylor.

The family is urging the person who shot their mother to come forward.

A vigil in honor of Ford will be held Wednesday at 6 p.m. on the corner of Winship Street and Madden Avenue.

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