Stancil Ford, former Hamblen County Commission Chair and State Representative, died early Friday morning.

He was 90.

Born in 1932, in the throes of the Great Depression, he grew up to follow his older brothers into military service. Henry Ford joined the Army Air Corps in 1943, serving in World War II. Harold Ford served two years 1950-1952. Just as one Ford brother left Korea, another arrived, Stancil served from 1953 to 1954.

He headed to Korea and ended up in transport, driving a truck to the front lines every day full of ammunition.

Then a cease fire came and his job was to deliver prisoners of war back to North Korea.

Ford spent his professional career working for AT&T, retiring after 40 years, but it was public service that was Ford’s true passion.

Ford is the longest serving County Commissioner Chairman with a total of 15 years over two separate stints. Ford served 28 years on the Commission.

During his time on the commission, Ford was instrumental in bringing 911 services to the county. In 1987, he was a founding member of the Morristown-Hamblen County Emergency Communications District and served 18 years as chairman. He also served 12 years as chairman of the Hamblen-Morristown Solid Waste Board as well as the state’s Private Probation Services Council.

Ford also served four terms in the General Assembly, 1994-2002, as state representative for the 10th district.

During his time as state representative, Ford secured funding for capital improvements for the Walters State Community College R. Jack Fishman Library, the science building, police academy and Great Smoky Mountain Expo Center.

He helped obtain funding for major road improvements to the extension of State Highway 160 at Interstate 81, Exit 12 and the construction of Merchants Greene Blvd. He also secured a $300,000 state grant to purchase safety equipment for the Hamblen County Volunteer Fire Departments. He was instrumental in working with Panther Creek State Park to steer the necessary funding for building the Scenic Overlook, which was named in his honor decades later.

He is preceded in death by his wife Dorothy, parents Joe and Eliza, brothers Henry and Harold Ford and Sister Margaret Harrington.

Ford is survived by his daughter Kathy (Gordon) Lewis, who was at his bedside, and granddaughters Kayla (Cole) Moore and Kellie (Jonathan) Brazeal and great-grand daughter Addison Grae Moore. He is also survived by his dear friend Carol Barnes.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20 with services immediately following at Mayes Mortuary.

Burial will be after the service at Hamblen Memorial Gardens.

Pastor Joseph Cole will serve as minister and Eric Carpenter will provide the music.

In Lieu Of Flowers, the family suggests donations to the veterans’ charity of your choice.

Arrangements by Mayes Mortuary.