Paul Maine Ford

Paul Maine Ford, 87, formerly of Easton, PA, most recently a resident of Clarks Summit, PA, died June 9 at the Hospice of the Sacred Heart in Dunmore, PA, after a brief illness. His wife of 63 years is the former Nancy Alger.
Born in Easton, he was the son of the late Paul Fenner and Sarah Packer Serfass Ford. He was a 1946 graduate of Easton High School and received his Bachelor's Degree from Colgate University. He was a correspondent graduate of the Air War College and attended numerous military, insurance and real estate courses throughout the country during his career.
Paul was very proud of his thirty-two years of Active and Reserve Duty in the United States Air Force from 1950 to 1982. He entered as a basic airman and retired as a full colonel. He served as a lead navigator on a B-29 crew flying 27 combat missions over North Korea. He was awarded the Air Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the United Nations Medal, the Korean Conflict Medal with two battle stars and citations for the U.S. and South Korean Presidential Unit. During the early years of the Cold War he served as a navigator on B-29 nuclear bombers as a member of the Strategic Air Command. As a Reservist, he commanded an Air Force Intelligence Detachment at McGuire Air Force Base, NJ, for many years and he was called to active duty at the end of the Vietnam War to serve as a processing and rehabilitation officer for returning American Prisoners of War.
He succeeded his father in business as the Owner/Chairman of Prudential Paul Ford Realtors of Easton, retiring in 1997 after 42 years. During that time, he was active as a salesperson, broker/owner, appraiser, insurer and developer. He held six professional designations and broker's licenses in Real Estate, Insurance and Appraising in PA and NJ. Under his guidance as President and CEO, the firm, founded in 1910, quadrupled in size from 1971 to 1994. Paul served as vice president of the PA Association of Realtors; was president of the Education Foundation of PA Realtors for ten years; was president of the Eastern Northampton County Association of Realtors and president of the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the Society of Real Estate Appraisers. For twenty-five years he was a judicially appointed member of the Northampton County Board of View and in 1985 was named Realtor of the Year for Eastern Northampton County.
Paul had many distinctive community achievements. He was past president of the Easton Area Chamber of Commerce and past president of the Easton Rotary Club where he was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow. He supervised the activities of the annual community celebration known as Heritage Day, served as vice president of the Easton Area Industrial Land Development Company, a local non-profit community oriented land development group, was a director of Twin Rivers Community Bank and a board member of the Easton Economic Development Council. He was an Elder in the First Presbyterian Church in Easton. After moving to the area in 2003, he became a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Clarks Summit.
Also surviving are three daughters, Carol Asiello (John), Latham, NY, Gail Turner (Jim), West Chester, PA, and Barbara Wadsworth (Gary), Clarks Summit; seven grandchildren, Peter Asiello, Alyson (Asiello) Britton, Erinn, Colin and Kendall Turner, Kurtis and Philip Wadsworth; Susan Farrell (niece) and Louis Guadagnino (nephew).
He was preceded in death by Sarah Ford Guadagnino (sister) and Dorothy Asiello (granddaughter).
A celebration of Paul's life will be held on Wednesday June 22 at 11 AM, First Presbyterian Church of Clarks Summit, 300 School St. Clarks Summit, PA, with services by Rev. William Carter, pastor and the Rev. Dr. Harry Freebairn.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations would be welcomed by "The Gathering Place," a community center for arts and education. PO Box 171, Clarks Summit, PA 18411. www.GatheringPlaceCS.org.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Lawrence E. Young Funeral Home & Cremation Svcs., 418 S. State St., Clarks Summit, PA 18411. To send an online condolence to the family, visit the funeral home website.