Frederic H Ford

Fred Ford passed away in his Somerset, NJ home on Feb. 15, 2024, 10 days after his 85th birthday.
Fred had been a choral conductor and educator, working primarily in the college setting, for more than 30 years. Fred was born in Woonsocket, RI, the son of Robert S. Ford and Catherine Hudson (Ford). He graduated from Burrillville HS, RI at the age of 16, and one year later from Mt. Hermon School, MA. He began at Harvard focusing on Engineering, but quickly realized that his passion for the Krokodiloes and Harvard Glee Club was seated in his love of choral music, and changed his concentration to Music studies, graduating with a bachelor's degree in music. While earning his Master of Arts in Education from Harvard School of Education, he was able to join the Harvard Glee Club as their assistant director for their Far Eastern Tour in 1961.
When enlisting in the Navy Reserve, he requested duties in Japan as a result of the love of all things Japanese that was kindled on the Glee Club tour. He was assigned as a minesweeper officer in the based in Sasebo, Japan for three and a half years.
Upon his return home, he enrolled at SUNY Buffalo. It was in Buffalo that he met his wife Kathleen; Fred and Kathy were married in 1968. They raised their daughter Amy and son Geoff in Crawfordsville, IN, where he taught at Wabash College while working towards the completion of his PhD in Music History.
Music motivated Fred's career as singer, pianist, conductor, coach, and teacher. He conducted choruses and taught music history and theory at the University of Virginia, SUNY Buffalo, Wabash College, and Rutgers University. After his long years as a college professor, he tied up his career with 15 joyous years of choruses and support for theater productions at Bridgewater Raritan HS. He earned a Governor's Award for Teaching and a Somerset County Award for Excellence in the Arts, and also conducted Mixed and Women's Honor Choirs and the 2007 NJ All-State Chorus.
He continued working with the Harvard Glee Club Alumni group, acting as Director on four separate tours returning to their Far Eastern Tour locations, including Tokyo/ Kyoto, Nagasaki, and Sendai.
He was a long-time member, and some-times state President of the American Choral Director's Association, a group he highly valued for the comradery and musicality. He led the efforts to run the 2000 ACDA national convention in Baltimore, an event he was rightfully proud to have organized.
Fred shared his joy and wonder of music not only professionally, but also through his church, the Unitarian Society (of East Brunswick), his living community where Fred enjoyed sharing his glorious piano playing with his fellow residents in the annual Variety Show, and with every person lucky enough to strike up a musical conversation with him.
There was not a baby he wouldn't play peek-a-boo with, not a song he wouldn't harmonize to, not a stranger he wasn't ready to make an acquaintance or a friend. It was impossible for him to put down a crossword puzzle, or walk away if a television set was on. His humor, his kindness, his intelligence and his warmth will be missed by all.
Surviving relatives include Kathy, his cherished wife and companion of fifty-five years, his daughter Amy and son-in-law Patrick, his son Geoff and daughter-in-law Jasmine; his brother Bob and sister Susan; his six grandchildren and multiple nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews.
A musical memorial will be arranged for late spring, to include some of Fred's favorite choral pieces and all will be welcome. More to be shared via his Facebook page.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please make contributions in Fred's name to either: East Millstone First Aid Squad (https://emfas52.org/donate) and Community Food Bank of New Jersey (https://cfbnj.org/).
His humor, his kindness, his intelligence, and his warmth will be missed by all.