Obituary of John Ford

John H Ford of Farmingdale passed away on Friday, February 19th, 2010 at home surrounded by his family and close friends. John was born in Jackson, Mississippi and was raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He joined the United States Marine Corps reaching the rank of Sergeant and served his country from 1960 to 1968, a period which included two tours in Vietnam. He was a Crew Chief on Sikorsky H-34 (S-58) USMC helicopters. He was awarded the Purple Heart along with twelve air medals. Upon his return to civilian life, John lived in Puerto Rico followed by Pemberton before settling in Farmingdale in 1981. John developed a passion for helicopters that lasted through his entire lifetime. His passion and enthusiasm coupled with his meticulous approach to his work were qualities that were warmly received when he joined Carson Helicopters, the heavy-lift helicopter company in Perkasie, Pennsylvania. It was a perfect match for both John and Carson. John played a significant role in Carson's early success, primarily by being able to draw on his vast expertise of the Sikorsky products gained through the military experience in Vietnam. Eventually, John branched off on his own and together with his spouse Haydee, he founded RACO Helicopter. What began as a small start-up company operating out of a two-car garage grew to become, at the peak of its success, the largest helicopter operation on the East Coast. RACO Helicopter provided a variety of services, from charters to sling work, to flight training and joyrides and weddings. The company also provided crop spraying, photography and filming of special events such boat races as far afield as Michigan. John enjoyed family life and he was much loved and admired. His popularity was not confined to his family; there grew a large extension of special friends who found themselves assimilated into the fold. Whether acting as friend or father figure he was often bemused by it all. The fact that his family and his entourage of friends are seamlessly integrated and the fact that this synergetic entity continues to grow, are both a testimonial to his warmth and kindness and a legacy for all to cherish. Visiting at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524) Freehold Township on Friday, February 26, 2010 from 2:00 to 4:00 and 7:00 to 8:30 PM with his funeral service to follow at 8:30 PM. Interment will be private. For information, directions or condolence messages to the family, please visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com.