Jeremiah Ford III

April 22, 1932 – October 1, 2025

Jeremiah Ford, III died peacefully at home in Princeton on October 1st. Born in Philadelphia on April 22, 1932, Jerry was the son of Jeremiah Ford, II and Mary Hewitt Ford. Jerry spent his early education years at the Episcopal Academy outside of Philadelphia, followed by St. George's School in Newport, Rhode Island where he graduated in 1950. A long-time Princeton resident, Jerry was a well-known and respected architect who had a profound impact on the Princeton architectural profession over the decades. After graduating from Princeton University in 1954, Jerry joined the Marine Corps and later came back to Princeton to obtain his Master of Fine Arts degree from the Princeton Graduate School of Architecture. In the Marine Corps, he served as a G-2 aerial photo interpreter in the first Marine Airwing in Japan. He was able to study the culture and architecture of Japan, which inspired his later work as an architect. Early in his career, after the Marine Corps, he apprenticed at Kenneth Kassler in Princeton, Harrison and Abramovitz, and Welton Becket in New York and the Port of New York Authority where he contributed to the work on the World Trade Center.

Jerry was the founding partner of three architectural firms: Walker Sander Ford and Kerr Architects and Planners; Short and Ford Architects, which changed to Ford Farewell Mills and Gatsch following the death of William Short; and Ford3 Architects. His projects included over 300 residential projects as well as preservation work, churches, libraries, schools, colleges and commercial work. He was particularly proud of his role as Partner in Charge of the "Joint Venture Architects" in their restoration and renovation work of the legislative portions of the New Jersey State House and the State House Annex. He also designed the carpet in the New Jersey Assembly Chamber, which features the State tree, bird, flower and insect.

At Princeton University, he sang with the Nassoons, an all-male a cappella close harmony group. Later, former Nassoon members from the '50s and '60s gathered for reunion concerts across the country, trips he looked forward to every year. He was one of the founding directors of the Princeton Nassoons Alumni Association.

Jerry was a member of the Princeton Rotary, a board member of the Princeton Chamber of Commerce, a long-time member of the Board of Governors of the Colonial Club of Princeton University serving twice as Chairman, a board member of the Princeton Alumni Council, President of the Princeton class of 1954 from 1969 to 1974, President of the Princeton Area Alumni Association, trustee of the Nassau Club and Chairman of the Board of the French American School of Princeton.

He is survived by his daughter Katherine Ford, stepchildren Dana Stewardson, Liza Connolly and husband Kevin, Caroline Thornewill and husband Luke, step grandchildren Ashley Stewardson and husband Trevor McGuinness (and their daughter Emlyn), Robert Stewardson, Lyla Connolly, Nicholas Connolly and Wes Thornewill, two nephews and their families, and a niece and her family.

Jerry is predeceased by his wife Elizabeth Stewardson Ford, former wife, Judith S. Ford, daughters Amanda Ford and Amy Ford, and sister Sally Ann Knapp.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions in Jerry's name to Princeton Nassoons Endowment:

http://www.nassoons.com/donate, or ArtWorks (where he and his daughter Amanda used to take classes together and where he was a founding member) https://artworkstrenton.org.