Joseph Charles Ford

Joseph Charles Ford, born August 2, 1950, in Richmond, Virginia, passed away peacefully in his home in Vestavia Hills, Alabama surrounded by family on December 8, 2022, at the age of 72. Born to Charles Crawford Ford and Henrietta Copes Ford, Joe is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 49 years, Judith Lynskey Ford, daughter Kimberly Ford Booth and husband Joseph, daughter Jamie Ford Davidson, son Kevin Joseph Ford, 6 grandchildren Abigail, Hannah, Madeline, Chase, Cole, and Caleb, and sister Janice Ford.

Joe grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia and attended Holy Cross Regional Catholic School from kindergarten through 12th grade. During his high school years at Holy Cross, he lettered in both soccer and basketball, serving as the captain of the soccer team and member of the state Catholic League basketball champions in 1968, his senior year. Joe attended college at Belmont Abbey in Belmont, North Carolina where he received a scholarship to play soccer his freshman and sophomore years of 1968 and 1969. The Crusaders captured the NAIA District 26 title in both of Joe’s seasons led by the winningest coach in Crusader soccer history, Stanley Dudko. Joe graduated from Belmont Abbey with a degree in economics in the spring of 1972. Joe’s passion for competing in sports from a young age transitioned into his favorite pastime and hobby later in life. Joe championed his children and grandchildren to compete in sports, where he did not miss events or the opportunity to support his family as they competed. When not supporting his children and grandchildren in athletics, Joe looked forward to every fall when he could cheer on his favorite football team in person, the Auburn Tigers.

Joe was incredibly dedicated and had a very successful career in Banking and Investment Management which began in late 1972 when he served as a Trust Investment Officer for Virginia National Bank in Norfolk, Virginia. Joe and family relocated to Orlando, Florida in 1983 when he obtained an opportunity with SunBank Capital Management to serve as their Senior Vice President & Senior Portfolio Manager, where he managed $750 million in funds for institutional clients. Joe and family again relocated in 1995 to Birmingham, Alabama when he received an offer from SouthTrust Corporation to serve as their Senior Vice President and Director of Institutional Funds Management. During his time at SouthTrust, he grew and managed over $1.3 billion in institutional client funds for the bank, including the top performing SouthTrust Growth Mutual Fund until 2005. Joe’s final career move came in 2006 when he transitioned from corporate investment banking to private investment and financial planning services, serving as the Chief Investment Officer and Chief Economist for SunBurst Financial Group in Vestavia Hills, Alabama until 2018.

No funeral service is currently scheduled. A celebration of life ceremony will be announced at a future date. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that if you are so moved, please make a donation in his memory to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama, the Jimmie Hale Mission of Birmingham or the Wounded Warrior Project, to which Joe donated regularly.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ridoutsvalleychapel.com for the Ford family.