David M. Ford

TUSCALOOSA - David M. Ford of Tuscaloosa, Ala., died March 23, 2020 at 3:35 p.m., listening to Hawaiian music, surrounded by his family. He was 69 years old. David was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas W. Ford and Mildred M. Abernathy, both of Holdenville, Oklahoma.
David is survived by his loving wife of 43 years, Linda A. Ford; children, Kimberly Lucas (Luke), Kurtis Taylor (Kourtney), Thomas W. Ford, and Megan Ford Winningham (Brett); grandchildren, Kiersten Swenson (Zach), Keston Lucas, Kurtis Taylor Jr., Keeton Taylor, Kylie Taylor, Cadence Ford, Sloan Ford, and Sutton Reese Winningham; and great-grandchildren, Charlie Anne Swenson, Thatcher David Swenson, and Atticus Blake Swenson.
David earned his bachelor's degree in Marketing from East Central State University in Ada, Oklahoma and his MBA-Accounting Emphasis from Louisiana State University. David spent most of his career as a general manager with Cintas Corporation and followed retirement as a clinical faculty member at the University of Alabama's Culverhouse College of Business for 23 years.
David was a Clinical Professor of Management and the Director of the Business Honors Program 2012-2020. During this time, in addition to teaching 4-5 classes every semester, he was a Faculty Fellow of Service Learning, Past Director of Alabama REAL, Associate Director of the Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute, served two terms on the Faculty Executive Board and a Sam Walton Free Enterprise Fellow.
Awards related to his teaching and service include Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member 2001, The TIAA "Hometown Hero" Award in 2012, The H. Taylor Morrissette Endowed Leadership and Ethics Award 2016, Lifetime Achievement Award 2019 presented by the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce for 25 years of service to Leadership Tuscaloosa and 2020 Red Ribbon Award from Mystic Krewe of Druids.
He had appointments to the Graduate Faculty of Manderson Graduate School of Business. He served as a reviewer, session chair and committee chair for The Academy of Management, Southern Management Association, and USASBE. He taught upper division classes and served as the faculty advisor for Students In Free Enterprise for ten years when they won the Regional Championship eight out of the last ten years. They also won three National awards, including one for resilience and perseverance. He also served as the advisor for Phi Beta Lambda, whose students regularly win awards at the state and national level for various business competitions.
He served on the boards or was an active member of Leadership Tuscaloosa, ForeRunners, Theatre Tuscaloosa, Alabama Public Radio, The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama, Black Warrior Council of Boy Scouts of America, Tuscaloosa Tennis Association, Mystic Krewe of Druids, Past Chair of the Tuscaloosa Personnel Association, Vice Chair of the Tuscaloosa Sister Cities International, Treasurer of The Capstone Alliance, UA SAFE Zone, Vice Chair of the Alabama Adapted Athletics Advisory Board, President and Treasurer of The Crimson Racket Club, Treasurer of Junior Achievement of Tuscaloosa, SIMSOC, Tuscaloosa Preservation Society and was on the "We Are UA Committee" and many more.
David never said no when it involved promoting The University of Alabama or the Culverhouse College of Business, including serving as a commencement marshal, the Athletics Majors Fair, giving families/students personal tours, meeting with job candidates, serving on the committee to determine Professional Qualification Requirements for Clinical Professors. He spent his life helping people find the best version of themselves and was well known for his service to others.
David served his country in the United States Navy during Vietnam, including the evacuation of Saigon and was honorably discharged in 1975. He also served the community of Lafayette, Louisiana as a reserve Deputy Sheriff, forensic detective, and president of the Louisiana Safety Association while managing several divisions of the Cintas Corporation.
David was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.
The family would like to give special thanks to Hospice of West Alabama for allowing David to spend his final days comfortably in his home. We would also like to thank Pam Hughes, M.D., Thomas Weida, M.D., Russ Guin, M.D., and the staff at Manderson Cancer Center.
A celebration of life will be held on his 70th birthday, October 2, 2020.
Memorials may be made to the University of Alabama Office of Advancement, Box 870101, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487 or online at www.give.ua.edu. David was supportive of the Ford First Generation Endowed Scholarship, Alabama Adapted Athletics Gift Fund, Military Service Member and Family Support Fund, and David M. Ford Service Scholarship.
"All Men Die, Few Truly Ever Live." – Dr. Ed Koss