Well-Known Horticulturist Passes Away After 31 Years With Penn State Extension

A well-known horticulture educator with the Penn State Extension who passed away early in December is being remembered by the people who worked with him locally and across the state.

Thomas G. Ford, 63, of Duncansville, was a commercial horticulture educator for 41 years, with 31 of those being with the Penn State Extension.

Joe Diamond of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau said he was a valuable resource to those in the agricultural community who produced fruits and vegetables.

“Tom did a tremendous job — anyone who worked with him got a lot out of it — it will be a big loss to the community,” he said.

Laverne Nolt, President of the Blair County Farm Bureau, knew and worked with Ford for about 20 years.

“He was a walking encyclopedia when it came to plants,” he said

Nolt said if anyone would call him with a problem, Ford would point them in the right direction.

“If you had an issue, Tom would pull the solution off the top of his head,” he said.

Jeff Fowler, a senior turfgrass educator at Penn State Extension, has known Ford for about 30 years, when he was hired in Fulton County to replace his father before moving to the Blair/Cambria county area.

Fowler said Ford was one of the most valuable people he had ever worked with.

“Tom could read a research paper and recall it with almost photographic memory,” he said.

Fowler said Ford also loved the clients he served, and was a great mentor to all of the educators, especially the newer ones.

“Tom took care of the people around him — he was there for the people,” he said.

Fowler also described Ford as reliable and trustworthy.

“If Tom said he would do something, he would do it,” he said.

Fowler said Ford is not replaceable and will be very missed.

Tom Butzler, a horticulture extension educator in Clinton County, worked with Ford for about 23 years.

During that time he learned about the importance of curiosity and asking questions to see where they lead.

“I worked a lot with him as we not only got along very well, he was full of ideas that made the job fun and interesting,” he said.

Butzler said Ford always had his back, when he needed help whether it be covering a gap in programming, needing an article, or helping with research plots.

During the winter season, they would travel all over the state to give presentations.

“It was always tough following Tom in presentation as he could recall facts, figures, etc., when it came to the question session,” he said.

They worked together to give information to growers that would help them solve their problems.

The growing season was spent either in the fields or answering growers’ calls.

Fieldwork meant visiting a grower and walking the field with them to determine the issue.

“I would describe us as plant doctors, trying to determine what was going on,” Butzler said.

He hoped that Ford would be remembered as a good man, someone that loved his family, life, coworkers, his job, and the agriculture community.

Tim Abbey, commercial horticulture educator with the Green Industry Team at the Penn State Extension described Ford as a kind-hearted person who helped anyone who asked for assistance.

“He was also one of the most intelligent people I have had the pleasure to have known,” he said.

Although Abbey did not work with Ford on a regular basis because they were based in different parts of the state, his passing is still a significant personal loss in his life.

He met Ford about 16 years ago, and learned a lot from him in the field of horticulture and pest management.

Abbey said the most important things he learned from him were not specific to work.

“He always acted in a professional manner, was patient, listened to others, and was willing to assist someone in need,” he said.

Ford even did this during his illness.

Abbey said his commitment to his clients was exemplary.

“His willingness to visit them to see firsthand the issues of concern is a key reason they valued him,” he said.