Frank Richards Ford Jr. ’26

Our classmate, Frank Ford, died of natural causes at his home in Southport, Conn., Nov. 10, 1996. He was 91.

Frank prepared at the Hill School, where he played on the soccer team. At Princeton he was on the freshman soccer team and later the varsity soccer squad. After college Frank took the General Motors Institute of Technology service course, finishing with honors. Subsequently he took courses in accounting at Columbia for the purpose of becoming an investment banker. He was the founder of F. R. Ford & Co., of which he was president until he retired in 1970.

Frank married Cornelia Ward Burchell in 1927. Cornelia died Jan. 2, 1980. On Apr. 3, 1983, Frank married Helen van Schaick, Cornelia's best friend, who died June 14, 1984.

Frank studied and taught navigation with the U.S. Power Squadron from 1931-41. When war came he volunteered and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Navy, where he continued teaching navigation. After the war, he devoted his time to his business and interests, of which editing the biography of his grandfather, George William Donaldson (1842-1933) was foremost.

Frank's later years were burdened by macular degeneration, which he had in both eyes; he suffered it as a gentleman. Frank is survived by his children, F. Richards III '50, Cornelia Ford Gise, and Susan Ford Hammaker, nine grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren, to all of whom we extend our deep sympathy.

The Class of 1926