Ford Heacock

SEBRING -- Mr. Ford Walker Heacock Jr., the former owner and chief financial officer of Heacock Insurance Group and a community activist, died of lung failure Monday (April 25, 2005) in Lakeland. He was 76."Even though he allowed the agency to transition the ownership, he has continued to work for us actively," said his son, Ford W. Heacock III of Lakeland, who currently owns the business with his cousin, Beth Johnson, and her husband, Craig. "He wasn't somebody that wanted to retire and just walk away. We relied on him still for a lot of the financial work with the agency.The lifelong resident of Sebring was born on Aug. 9, 1928, and attended the University of Florida. He graduated with honors in three years with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He was a member of Beta Kappa Sigma fraternity.He was a master sergeant in the Army Air Corps.Mr. Heacock's father and grandfather started Heacock Insurance Group in 1922 and he went to work for the agency in 1950. In 1964, he became part owner of the business. Mr. Heacock sold his share of the business to his son in 1998.He served on the Sebring City Council from 1957 to 1958. He was a member of the Sebring Chamber of Commerce and its Board of Directors. He was a member of the Sebring Fireman Inc. and was a Paul Harris Fellow of the Sebring Rotary Club. He was administrative secretary of the Sebring 12 Hours of Endurance, and was the race's co-chairman in 1966.He was on the board of directors of First National Bank of Sebring. He served as an advisor on Property and Casualty Insurance and an actuarial advisor on Employee Benefit Plans for the Highlands County Commission.He was active in the Gulf Ridge Council Boy Scouts of America, serving as district chairman, and vice president, receiving the District Award of Merit. He was a member of the National Council, and was the recipient of the Silver Beaver Award. He received the Distinguished Citizen Award in 1997, and was chairman of the Annual Sustained Membership Drive.He was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church of Sebring.Mr. Heacock was preceded in death by his wife of 17 years, Patricia "Pat" Heacock, in 1966. In addition to his son, Ford Heacock III, he is survived by his wife of 33 years, Benni Heacock; children, Austin Heacock, Mary Beth Heacock, Jason Heacock, Kimberly Heacock, all of Sebring; brother, Travis Heacock, Sebring; sister, Nancy Hensley, Sebring; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren.Visitation will be from 5 to 8 this evening at Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home, Sebring. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church in Sebring. Burial will follow in Pinecrest Cemetery in Sebring. Memorials may be made to Gulf Ridge Council-Boy Scouts of America, 13228 N. Central Ave., Tampa, 33612, the Pat Heacock Scholarship Fund, C/O South Florida Community College Foundation, 13 E. Main St., Avon Park, 33825, or First United Methodist Church building fund, 126 S. Pine St., Sebring, 33870.