John Byron Ford, Jr., 94, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Thursday, August 28, at Shenandoah House.

Byron lived life to its fullest during his 94 years, showing a deep love for family and friends throughout his life. After two years of service in the Navy, he had a successful 37-year career with the DuPont Company as a product superintendent. Byron and Mae enjoyed all their DuPont locations and especially the travel abroad they experienced during their assignments in the Netherlands and Northern Ireland. He enjoyed many hobbies including gardening, landscaping, investing in stocks, and playing tennis and golf. Byron was an avid sports fan of UVA and his college alma maters of Duke University and the University of Alabama. Byron served numerous organizations during his lifetime, including the churches in the communities where they lived, the Boy Scouts and Main Street UMC Preschool.

Byron married his childhood sweetheart, Mae Ballard Ford, who preceded him in death in September of 2023. He is survived by his three children, John (Katrina), Natalie (Jonathan) Dyke and Julianne Ramsey and eight grandchildren, Brandon, Jeremy and Whitney Ford, Janelle, Jonathan and Elizabeth Dyke, Megan and Amanda Ramsey and four great grandchildren, Madison Reynolds, Krystal Ford and Kayleigh and Colt Ford. He is survived by his brother James Lane Ford (Nancy) and family. Byron was predeceased by his parents, John Byron and Jocelyn Lane Ford.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the numerous medical caregivers at Augusta Health and UVA who supported him to achieve his 94 years of life.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, September 13, 2025 at 10 a.m. at McDow Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends immediately after the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Children's Harbor at Lake Martin, in memory of his wife, Mae Ballard Ford, at https://www.childrensharbor.com or 434 Children's Harbor Drive, Electric, AL 36024.