Neil Ford

Ford, Neil M.

Lodi: Neil Maurice Ford, age 88, of Lodi, Wisconsin passed away on Monday, October 14, 2019 at the Columbia Health Care Center in Wyocena, Wisconsin. He was born on June 12, 1931 in Sterling, Illinois, the son of Myrtle Eastwood Ford and Maurice Reginald Ford. Neil attended elementary and high school in Sterling, where he was a member of the track team. He was later inducted into the school's Hall of Fame, both as an athlete and a distinguished alumni. Neil received his bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University in 1958, his master's degree from the University of Illinois in 1961, and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1966. Neil entered the U.S. Air Force as an airplane mechanic and served in the Korean War. Neil married Jane Gleason and together grew their family to include Shelley, Maureen and Gregory. Neil accepted an offer from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1966 as an assistant professor. He was promoted to associate and full professor and later served as chair of the Marketing Department at the Wisconsin School of Business for several years. Neil retired as professor emeritus in 1996. During his time in the department, Neil was not only an educator to his students, but a dedicated researcher. Together with his colleagues Gilbert Churchill and Orville Walker, they wrote the successful textbook Sales Force Management. Neil enjoyed teaching and mentoring students, but also loved that he continued friendships with many of them, attending weddings and enjoying visits. In 1975 Neil married Peggy Tonneson and together they began their adventures. After retirement, Neil remained extremely active, still learning and educating. He was diagnosed with macular degeneration and took that on as a challenge, joining the board of directors of the Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired. During this time, he organized a low vision support group in the Portage, Wisconsin area and gave informational talks to groups experiencing vision issues. Neil was also involved with his community in several facets - as a member of the Columbia County (Wisconsin) Board of Supervisors, serving on both the Planning and Information Technology Committees; as a member of the Town of Lodi Planning Commission; and as a member of the Lake Wisconsin Lions Club. Was there time for fun? Absolutely! Neil was an avid fisherman, joining his buds on several annual fishing trips - who else has turkey and bananas foster on a fishing trip? He also enjoyed racquetball, tennis, bowling, a game of trivia, and cooking, where he was named the local chili cook-off champ several times. There are also many beautifully framed pieces of art collected over the years that Neil matted and framed after taking classes from his dear friend Charlie. Neil and Peggy took many trips to Europe, including Norway, France, Italy, and England; London became known as their "second home" after 14+ trips. Music was an important and enjoyable part of Neil's life, especially classical music; he learned to play the piano around the age of 40. Living on and enjoying beautiful Lake Wisconsin with family and friends was a dream come true. Neil is survived by his wife Peggy of 44 years, daughter Maureen (Drew), son Gregory, grandchildren Kably Ford Ryan and Kasha Wisniewski, son-in-law Dennie Ryan, nieces Charlotte Otto (Norm), Carolyn Peterson (Gary), nephew Russ Ford (Molly); and stepniece Vicki Mock. Neil was preceded in death by his parents; stepfather Mervin Stipp; daughter Shelley Ford Ryan; and brothers Donald and Douglas. A celebration of Neil's life will be held on Tuesday, October 29, 2019 at Fish Tales Restaurant in Lodi on Lake Wisconsin from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Memorials are suggested to the Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired, Columbia Health Care Center, or Agrace HospiceCare. Our family would like to thank many individuals, including our beloved friend and caregiver Sue, the staff at Columbia Health Care Center, and most recently the staff at Agrace HospiceCare, all of whom helped us navigate Neil's journey with dementia.

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