Rebecca Thomas Ford

Rebecca Thomas Ford, 70, of Anchorage, died Sunday, Aug. 21, following a lengthy illness.
She was born Rebecca Sue Thomas in Louisville on Sept. 5, 1951. Rebecca, the only child of the late Julian and Dorothy (Diehl) Thomas, grew up in Pleasure Ridge Park. She attended Transylvania University for two years before transferring to the University of Kentucky, from which she graduated in 1973 with a bachelor s degree in journalism. She received a master s degree in science in 1989 from the University of Louisville.
Rebecca worked for a year as a clerk in The Courier-Journal s Lexington news office before launching her career in public health and health education. She began by visiting patients in Eastern Kentucky for the old state tuberculosis hospital in London. Subsequently, she worked in the area of health care for the Kentucky Cabinet for Human Resources in Frankfort and as a consultant for Johnson & Johnson.
She served as executive director of Partners for a Healthy Louisville, a consortium of health providers, insurers and advocates. She taught personal, public and women s health classes, first at the University of Louisville and then at Indiana University Southeast, where she was honored as an outstanding teacher. She was a mentor and friend to many of her students. Rebecca was also a longtime teacher for Weight Watchers.
Rebecca was a devoted and loving mother who was fully engaged in her daughter s education and activities. A lover of animals and a former rider herself, she was an enthusiastic horse mom for her daughter s equestrian events. She owned numerous dogs and cats who were all dear to her. Rebecca was a world traveler, a voracious reader and an excellent cook. She greatly relished her family s annual vacation at the beach in Pawleys Island, S.C. Rebecca enjoyed attending horse races, and she took pride each year in her new outfit and hat for the Kentucky Derby.
Rebecca is survived by Stephen Ford, her husband of 49 years, and by their daughter, Olivia (Papa Chakravarthy), of Morristown, N.J. Her cousin, Vicki Curry, and friend Peggy McDonald were foremost among the many caregivers who provided tenderly for Rebecca in her final years.
Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m. Saturday at Ratterman Funeral Home, 12900 Shelbyville Road in Middletown. A memorial event will be held at a later date. Burial will be a private family affair at Cave Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Kentucky Humane Society; 1000 Lyndon Lane, Suite B; Louisville, KY 40222. Donations may also be made online.