In Remembrance: Allen H. Ford ’50 Died on February 1 2026

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Allen H. Ford died February 1, 2026, at the age of 97 following a joyful singalong with his family the evening before.  He grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and returned there following graduation from Yale University with a degree in history, politics, and economics.  After two years of service in the US Army in Korea, he returned to Cleveland to begin his career. Committed to the area and fascinated by its industrial history, he joined Pickands Mather, where he rose to the level of vice president of finance.  When Diamond Shamrock purchased PM, he joined the Diamond Shamrock team where he ultimately served as chief financial officer and president of the biosciences unit.  When Diamond left Cleveland, he joined Standard Oil of Ohio, from which he retired as senior vice president—finance and administration. Allen later joined the Transaction Group, a venture capital enterprise.   While working, he pursued further education by earning a master’s degree in management at Case Western Reserve University and a certificate in advanced management at Harvard University.

Allen married Constance (Connie) Towson in 1954 and spent 51 wonderful years with her raising their children—Hope ’77, Sarah ’79, and Jim—and leading the family on adventures.  He taught them to play tennis and ski and organized trips to Williamsburg, Concord and Lexington, and Washington, DC.  He introduced them to the history of each region through reading aloud to enrich their understanding of the area being explored.   One of their greatest adventures was due to welcoming a foreign exchange student from Norway named Inger Wogn-Henriksen into their family.  After Connie’s death in 2005, he traveled, carved birds, and researched family history, leading to his publication of Three Families of the Connecticut Western Reserve.

Allen served on numerous boards in the Cleveland area, including the Musical Arts Association (the Cleveland Orchestra), Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals, University Circle Inc., the Western Reserve Historical Society, Laurel School, the Abington Foundation, and the Great Lakes Basin Conservancy.  He also served on corporate boards such as Parker Hannifin, Ameritrust, Society Corporation, and Elwell-Parker Electric Company.

Allen is survived by his children (Hope ’77, Sarah ’79, Jim, and Inger), five grandchildren (Abigail ’08 and Alyssa ’10; Daniel, Andrew, and Benjamin), and nine great-grandchildren.

—Submitted by the family.