Paul Ford Obituary, Death – Paul Francis Ford, 65, of Worcester unexpectedly passed suddenly in York, Maine on Friday, November 11, 2022, while out for a stroll by the sea with his dogs and his devoted wife Rosemary. The son of Francis X. and Anne M. (Murphy) Ford, Paul Ford was born and has lived in Worcester his entire life. Paul, a graduate of St. Peter’s High School, also has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Worcester State University and a master’s degree in business administration from Anna Maria College. Paul taught high school for eleven years before to starting his 31-year career with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the Boston office, which supports Region 1.
The National Flood Insurance Program was Paul’s first employer, where he held a variety of positions, including Flood Insurance Specialist for the Region. He responded to numerous more disasters across the country, including Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and the Midwest Floods along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers in 1993. He set an excellent example for many coworkers with his education, character, and work ethic. He advanced in his profession to become the deputy regional administrator, a post he has held for the past 15 years with distinction.
During this time, he occasionally served as acting regional administrator for the Boston office, and for a total of six months, he served as acting deputy regional administrator in the FEMA office in New York City. The security, happiness, and health of his employees and their families came first for Paul as a manager. He was best renowned for his ability to empathize with, support, and help staff members through any difficult situations they were facing, whether they were professional or personal. Paul was viewed by many workers as more of a personal friend than a boss.
Paul also leaves behind his daughters, Kristin M. Ford and her husband Peter D. DiFrancesco, along with their children Maisie, Owen, and Wesley, and Brittany Ford Petty and her children Liam and Brynn, in addition to his wife of 40 years, Rosemary (Fraser) Ford. Additionally, he leaves behind Nan Ford, the wife of Paul’s oldest son Michael, Daniel Ford, Ellen Bussone, and Paul, his spouse.
Paul was a devoted husband and father. He also had the closest friend his wife. As they grew up, he attended every baseball, hockey, and field hockey game while drinking two liters of seltzer and donning his notorious green Red Socks cap. He was the biggest supporter of his kids. He had a unique and distinctive bond with each of his children. Even though Zachary’s death hurt him, he held fast to the conviction that Zachary’s spirit would help him through an almost fatal aneurysm in 2011. He didn’t take this second chance for granted. Paul spent his entire life as a devout member of Christ the King Parish and had a very peaceful connection with God.
His absolute favorite activity was spending time at the beach with his wife, daughters, son-in-law, and grandchildren. Although he was given many titles throughout his life, he was most content with the affectionate nickname, “Buppy,” that his grandchildren gave him.
In memory of his son Zach, Paul co-founded and assisted in running the 365Z Commitment to Kindness Foundation, which encourages good deeds all year round. He was assisted in doing this by his family and friends.
On Wednesday, November 16, from 4 to 8 p.m., there will be calling hours at the Athy Memorial Home in Worcester, which is situated at 111 Lancaster Street. The funeral Mass will start on November 17 at 10 a.m. in Worcester’s Christ the King Church, which is located at 1052 Pleasant St. After that, there will be a burial in Paxton’s Worcester County Memorial Park.
