Tommy Ford, Jr.

John Thomas Ford Jr., (Tommy) age 79, of Palm Bay, FL passed away on December 22, 2023, surrounded by family and friends. He was born on July 3, 1944, in Shinston, WV to John Thomas Ford Sr. and Virginia Ford.

Tommy was preceded in death by his wife, Wanda K Ford. He is survived by his daughter, Holli Kennard (James) of Palm Bay, FL.; son, Christopher Ford (Jennifer) of Melbourne, FL; three grandchildren, Mariah Ford, Shianne Kennard, and James Kennard Jr., all of Palm Bay, FL; as well as his sister, Janet Wilson of Rockledge, Fl.

Tommy had a quick wit and a great sense of humor that he shared with everyone he met. He was very protective of both friends and family; he had a strong loyalty to those he loved. A devout member of the Blue Lodge and the Azan Shrine for over 30 years, Tommy enjoyed spending time with family and friends. Tommy served in the United States Air Force for 4 years before starting his law enforcement career in 1971 with the Cape Canaveral Police Dept. (Now BCSO) where he resigned in 1976. That same year he joined the Kennedy Space Center Security Police and never looked back. He had many roles during his time at KSC, but a few of them were serving on their SWAT team, road patrol sergeant, and where he retired as an Investigator. One of his biggest roles in his eyes and one he always took pride in was escorting the Astronauts to the pad during the Shuttle program. He retired in 2011 after a very long career.

A funeral service to celebrate Tommy's life will be held on Friday, January 5 at 10 AM. Services will be at Florida Memorial Gardens located at 5950 U.S 1 in Rockledge FL USA.