Reina Ford, age 53, of Wessington Springs, SD, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at her home in Wessington Springs.

Her Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 p.m., on Wednesday, January 14, 2026 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Wessington Springs with burial to follow at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Wessington Springs.

Visitation, with her family present, will be from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at the church in Wessington Springs. A Prayer Service and Time of Sharing will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening at the church.

Reina was born on October 6, 1972, in Wessington Springs to Larry and Fran (Hines) Peterson. She attended school in Wessington Springs and graduated in 1990. She was very active in all things involving music and drama. She participated in cheerleading, FHA, and 4‑H. She loved playing both slow‑pitch and fast‑pitch softball.

Following high school, she attended Central College in McPherson, KS for 1 year, and then attended a Travel school in Bismarck, ND.  It was there that she met her future husband.

Reina was married to Steven Marquardt on November 27, 1993, with whom she shared two children, Coltin Layne and Riley Scott. She was later blessed with a daughter, Kambrie Reina. On April 20, 2018, Reina married Bernard (Bernie) Ford, and through this union she became a stepmother to Ethan.

Reina was an active member of Templeton UCC. She loved to bake, and there wasn't anything she wouldn't try to make. There was never a shortage of sweets to enjoy, and you could usually count on your favorite being on the goodie table during the holidays. She followed in her dad's footsteps and decorated her house from top to bottom for each holiday. It was rare that you didn't smell the season when you walked through the front door. She never let an event go by without taking a handful of pictures, and her home was full of them. She had a love for horses and all things western. She enjoyed many years of playing darts, both for fun and in leagues.

She devoted many years to working with people of all ages with intellectual disabilities, first in Bismarck, North Dakota, and later after returning home to South Dakota. Pheasant season was her favorite time of year, and she especially cherished the time she spent working at Horseshoe K Ranch. A natural people person, she found joy in connecting with others and was always ready with a friendly greeting and a big smile during her years at Lewis Drug and Sweet Grass.

She spent many happy years cheering from the sidelines, proudly following her children, nieces and nephews to countless practices, games, recitals, and events.  Earning the title "Grandma" to Daniel Marquardt was her favorite day. He was the one she loved to brag about, always excited to show his picture or the most recent video of his newest tricks.

Thankful for sharing her life are her husband, Bernie; her children, Coltin (Alyssa) Marquardt of Lincoln, ND, Riley (Andrea) Marquardt of Bismarck, ND, and Kambrie Eik  of Joliet, MT; her stepson, Ethan (Taica) Ford of Wessington Springs, SD; her grandson, Daniel Marquardt; step‑grandchild, Aurora Olson; her mother, Fran Peterson of Wessington Springs, SD; her siblings, Scott (Bobbi Joe) Peterson of Miller, SD, Michelle Peterson (Pierce Johnson) of Sioux Falls, SD, Leslie (Kyle) Tanke of Wessington Springs, SD, and Ashley Peterson of Sioux Falls, SD; and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her father, Larry Peterson.