Dairy farmer, proud Country Fire Authority stalwart and staunch supporter of the Blowhard Primary School, Thomas ‘Tom’ Ford will be remembered not only by the communities he lived in but across the region as a pillar of strength in any venture he put his mind to.
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Tom Ford AFSM OAM died on November 16, just four days short of his 88th birthday.
His son Graham says his father was a ‘marvellous mentor’ who revelled in the hard work of farm life and instilled that ethic in his family and those who worked with him.
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Mr Ford was born on the same farm his parents had worked, and lived in their house until he built his own across from it. A born dairy farmer, Graham Ford said his father never shied away from the toughness required to succeed, but was always willing to impart the guidance required to do a better job.
His work in the CFA, as so many other will attest, was almost legendary. He had only recently passed 70 years of voluntary service, and the numbers of medals and awards he garnered in his years with the Miners Rest Rural Fire Brigade and the Ballarat Group attest to his passion.
In 2015 Mr Ford told The Courier he fought his first fire at Waubra in 1940.
“I learnt more at that first fire than I did in my 50 years as a volunteer firefighter with the Miners Rest CFA,” Mr Ford said at the time.
“I can still remember the burning heat of the fire as we neared it.”
His family owned a Chevrolet water tanker, a former army unit, and it was used before the current Miners Rest fire station was constructed. Known as the ‘Yellow Terror’, and despite being burnt in another fire in the 1940s, it was restored and now will stand as memorial to the Ford family’s commitment to fire fighting.
Mr Ford was also a champion footballer for Learmonth, playing in a premiership in 1956 and held the record for most games for the club.
He served as president, senior and junior coach and was a life member.
Current club president Matt Hines said Mr Ford was ‘the biggest and the best’ at Learmonth, and would be missed enormously.
He asked that in honour of Mr Ford, all club members, supporters and players are encouraged to wear club apparel for a guard of honour at his funeral on Monday.
Tom Ford also served for 46 years on the Blowhard PS council and was president of the school council for some years. In 2007 he told The Courier, "I'm loyal to the place where I was born, but I like to emphasise just how important primary schools are - it's a foundation you are building."
His father had been a Ballarat shire president and councillor.
Tom Ford’s funeral is November 26 at the Tom Ford Junior Sporting Complex, Learmonth, at 10am.
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