President & Treasurer

 JOHN W. FORD jford@aldersonfuneralhomes.com

John W. Ford was born in Waterbury, in 1946, and was educated in local schools and was a graduate of Naugatuck High School, Class of 1964.  He attended college in Boston, Mass. and graduated from the New England Institute of Funeral Service in Boston, Class of 1968. Following graduation, He began his apprenticeship at the C. H. Green Funeral Home were he had worked part time since he was 16 years old. He became associated with the Alderson Funeral Homes, Inc. in May of 1970 where he completed his apprenticeship. In October of that same year he was named Manager of the Naugatuck Home and became a partner in 1983. In 1987 John and his two partners, Jay Anthony and John J. Martin, III (1953-2001), purchased the business from Mr. Alderson. Mr. Martin passed away in 2001 and Mr. Ford became the sole owner of the Funeral Homes in 2007.

Mr. Ford is a member of the National Funeral Directors Assoc., the Connecticut Funeral Directors Assoc. and in 1983 was certified through FEMA/NFDA as a Certified Disaster Coordinator for Conn. He is a member and Past-President of the Waterbury Area Funeral Director’s Assoc. and a former Clinical Instructor in Embalming for the New England Institute of Funeral Service at Mt. Ida College. He is also a member of the National Foundation for Mortuary Care and a member of the Region 1 DMORT Team of the National Disaster Medical System. He is a communicant of St. Francis of Assisi Church, where he serves as a Eucharistic Minister, an Usher, and is a member of St. Francis School Foundation and is active in various other committees. He is a former member and Past-President of the Kiwanis Club of Naugatuck, a former member and Past-President of several Volunteer Emergency service organizations and a former member and two-term Chairman of the Naugatuck Board of Fire Commissioners. He is presently Chairman of the Naugatuck Street Commission (Public Works Board).

He was an active volunteer for over 40 years with the Naugatuck Chapter of the American Red Cross, having served as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chairman of Disaster Services . He is a member of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Naugatuck and Beacon Falls,Inc.,  and served as Campaign Chairman. He is a former volunteer with the Peter J. Foley Little League.

Mr. Ford is a member and Past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce, He is a former 15-year member and past Chairman of the Naugatuck Economic Development Commission . He is also a member of he Beacon Valley Grange, a Life member of the Naugatuck Historical Society, a 42 year member of the Naugatuck Lodge of Elks, # 967, a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians -Naugatuck Arie # 1., and member and Past President of the Naugatuck Rotary Club. and a former member and Vice-Chairman of the Naugatuck Youth Services Advisory Board. Mr. Ford is a former Treasurer of the Ecumenical Conference of Churches of Naugatuck and Beacon Falls and has been active in many of their programs Having been active in various school organizations, he is a Past Co-President of several Parent-Teacher organizations.

Ford is active in many Masonic organizations; with memberships in Shepherd-Salem Lodge # 78, A.F. & A.M.; the Naugatuck Fellowcraft Assoc. both of Naugatuck; The Scottish Rite Bodies, Valley of Waterbury: Doric Lodge of Perfection; Ionic Council- Princes of Jerusalem and Corinthian Chapter- Rose Croix; The York Rite Bodies: Cyrus Chapter # 45, Royal Arch Masons of Torrington; Buel Council # 20, Royal & Select Masters of Litchfield and New Haven Commandery, No. 2, Knights Templar, and the Triangle Guard Assoc. both of New Haven and The Lafayette Consistory, 32 Degree, Valley of Bridgeport;  He is also a member of The Zindah Grotto of Waterbury; The Garibaldi Masonic Club of Conn.; The Police Square Club of Conn.; The Pyramid  Shriners, of Milford; the Naugatuck Shrine Club; The Kaaban’s Shrine Club of Plymouth; the Dimaryp Court # 66, Royal Order of Jesters; the Nutmeg Billiken Club and a life member of the Kachina Klub of Scottsdale, Arz.. Mr. Ford is a former member of the Democratic Town Committee and is a Justice of the Peace for the Borough of Naugatuck as well as a Sub-Registar of Vital Statisticsfor the communities of Naugatuck, Waterbury Middlebury and Cheshire. He is also a member of the National Sheriff’s Assoc. and the New Haven County Sheriff’s Assoc.

In 1971, the Naugatuck Jaycees honored Mr. Ford by presenting him with their “Distinguished Service Award” and in 1981 was honored by the Beacon Valley Grange as the recipient of their “Citizen of the Year Award”. In 1992 the Naugatuck Rotary Club named him a Paul Harris Fellow. In 1995, the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce presented him with the “Lewis A. Dibble Award” and in 1996, John and his wife were presented with the “Raymond K. Foley Memorial Award”, by the Parent School Council.

He is married to the former Maureen E. Hughes and they are the parents of two children; Daniel and Joanna and grandfather of Ryan and Emma Ford as well as Kyle Jay Segetti.