...of the gravesite of Utah’s first Jedi priest
- cmgreathouse4
- May 4
- 2 min read
Who: Steven Ford
What: Was Utah's first ordained priest of the Temple of the Jedi Order
Where: Gravesite at Valley View Memorial Park, West Valley (southwest corner of the cemetery)
When: Passed away on September 7, 2010
In a state where the predominant religion is Mormonism, Steven Ford went a different route. He became an ordained priest of the Temple of the Jedi Order.
All you fellow Star Wars fans will be excited to know (or maybe already do) that the Temple of the Jedi Order is a real organization. Steven was by far not the only Jedi priest in the United States. However, he was the first in Utah, and even the first to minister a wedding. His brother Andrew Ford’s ceremony in 2008 was traditional in most ways, except for the lightsaber at Steven’s hip as he delivered the service.
According to the ToTJO’s website, Jediism is a religion based on the observance of the Force, a ubiquitous and metaphysical power that a Jedi (a follower of Jediism) believes to be the underlying, fundamental nature of the universe. Jediism finds its roots in philosophies similar to those presented in an epic space opera called “Star Wars”. It is a religion in and of itself.
Steven passed away in 2010, leaving behind a host of heartbroken family and friends. If you decide to visit and pay your respects, please extend those respects to his memory, family and site. The cemetery is about half a block from the funeral home. Park at the “Lilac” section. Steven’s site is in the southwest corner.
As his lovingly written obituary and gravestone say, “May the force be with you, always."
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