LAKE VILLAGE, Arkansas - Alvin L. Ford Jr., a retired farmer and businessman died April 7, 2026. He was born March 23, 1937, in Lake Village and was a lifelong resident of Lake Village. He was the son of the late Alvin L. Ford, Sr. and Lula Mae Thurmond Ford.
He graduated from Lakeside Public School in 1955, where he made the 1954 All-State Football team. He attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville on a football scholarship his freshman year, after which he transferred to Arkansas A&M (now UAM) where he graduated with a B.S in business administration. While there, he lettered in football, earning all AIC honors in 1956 and 1957 as an all-conference running back and defensive back. He also lettered in baseball and track. A knee injury affected his 1958 sports season. In 2008 he was inducted into the UAM Sports Hall of Fame.
Upon graduation from college, he returned to Lake Village and began farming with his father in 1959 and continued farming until the year 2000. He was a partner with brother Jerry Ford in Lake Shore Motor Co. and Frank Hudson Insurance Agency, was a partner in a TCBY franchise, and was employed on a part-time basis by the Bank of Lake Village as an Agriculture reporting consultant for 10 years.
He served six years in the Arkansas National Guard, during which he was called to active duty and served at Fort Benning, Georgia during the Berlin Crisis in 1961. He was involved in the Jaycees when they were active in Lake Village, was a past member of the Democratic Central Committee of Chicot County and was a member of the Chicot County Election Commission, serving as Chairman for seven years. Mr. Ford was a founding member of the UAM Foundation, and also helped form a club in the Lake Village area to help raise funds for the UAM sports. He served several years on boards of the Southeast Arkansas Farmers Association, Chicot County Farmer’s Association, Chicot County Farm Bureau, The Farmer’s Grain Terminal (25 years), Chicot Memorial Hospital where he also served as Board Chairman, and on the Washington School Board in Greenville. He was a lifelong member of the Lakeside United Methodist Church (1950), during which he served on the Administrative Board (50 yrs.), served 10 years as a Sunday School Superintendent, was an active member of the Methodist Men (and frequent cook) and for many years he willingly accepted the task of frying fish for the annual church fish fry. Once he became homebound, he was a faithful viewer of the Pulaski Heights United Methodist services telecast on Sunday mornings.
His most treasured memories were of watching his granddaughters in their volleyball and softball games and being in the deer stands with them when they killed their first bucks. While growing up he was not fond of the nickname Cooter (which was given to him as a young boy), but would love hearing his granddaughters and great grandchildren call him Cooter.
He always considered it fortunate to be born to parents, although without formal education, insisted that their four children obtain a college education. Along with his bachelors in business, his three siblings all graduated with masters or Ph.D degrees. Although achieving good grades, he was more interested in playing football and in other interests. He also considered being extremely fortunate, that during his last semester, before graduating, he started dating a young freshman he somehow would talk into marrying him November 29, 1959.
Things he most enjoyed was hunting and being with special friends and hunting buddies of the Seven Oaks Hunting Club: Grady Keith, David Vaughn, Steve Ferri, John Farish, Tom Mosley, and great nephew Jared Pieroni.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Jerry J. Ford. He is survived by his wife of 66 years Diane Manees Ford; sisters Katie Boley (Matt) Jacksonville, Florida; Dr. Mary Jane Ford, Lafayette, Louisiana; sister-in-law Susie Ford, Lafayette; son Dr. Kevin Ford (Michael) Denver, Colorado; daughter Dana Brantley (Jeff) Magnolia, Arkansas.; granddaughters Morgan Watson (Blake) Magnolia, Rachel Schlech (Austin) Cabot, Arkansas, seven great grandchildren, Owen Watson, Madilynn Watson, Ford Schlech, Ava Schlech, Bailey Schlech, John Schlech and Jake Schlech and many dear nephews and nieces.
The family is grateful to the staff of both Southern Caregivers and LifeTouch Health for their support and care.
A visitation will be held on Friday, April 17, 2026 at 1 p.m. with a memorial service to follow at 2 p.m. at Lakeside United Methodist Church.
Memorials may be made to Lakeside United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 192, Lake Village, AR 71653
