On the early morning of July 4th, Larry Ford (Lawrence A. Ford Jr.) died at Timber Ridge, McKinleyville with his son Merrill and Sarah of Hospice beside him.​

March 22, 1935 marked the day Art and Katherine Ford welcomed their first-born at General Hospital in Eureka. Larry was Art and Katherine’s first of four children born at General Hospital with Dr. B Cooper attending. After a short stay at the hospital, they brought Larry home to the Ford ranch and Katherine’s parents living not far away in Essex. Larry was given the male generational name. The original Lawrence A. Ford emigrated from Glenfarne, Leitrim County, Ireland in 1860 and found his way to Humboldt County to homestead the original ranch acreage in 1868.

Larry graduated from Arcata Grammar School in 1949 and moved across the street to Arcata Union High School, where he was active in school activities and took particular interest in choir with Ruth Carroll, the teacher. Larry became a Humboldt County 4-H Star the same year he graduated, 1953. Larry’s life on the “home ranch” gradually evolved to become a part of hands-on work with his grandfather Larney’s large flock of Corriedales and later with Suffolks of his own that he exhibited at the Ninth District Fair in Eureka, the Humboldt County Fair in Ferndale and the Arcata Junior Fair (Arcata Ballpark). Summers were always a busy time with hay-hauling, shearing, showing at the fair, rounding up sheep off the hill, changing irrigation and sometimes going to town to see a movie. Larry drove. Soon after graduating high school, Humboldt State College became Larry’s focus, where he spent two years before transferring to Colorado A&M (Colorado State Univ.) in Fort Collins.

When he came home at Christmas, Larry had wonderful stories to share about his time in Colorado, where he made lifelong friends as an ATO (Alpha Tau Omega) and in ROTC. It was customary for the Greek system to hold dance-mixers. As “chance would have it,” Larry met Jacqueline Stalcup, a Pi Beta Phi sorority member, at a mixer. Life began to move pretty fast.

Larry graduated June 1958 and immediately went to Newport, Rhode Island Naval Officer Candidate School to become an Ensign, USN. Larry introduced Jackee to the Ford family during Thanksgiving 1958. (She was a good sport tolerating Pam and John, Larry’s younger siblings.) The following year Larry and Jackee were married in Worland, Wyoming. Soon after they married, Larry served duty stations in Hawaii and Bremerton, Washington while they lived in Seattle. In Hawaii he served as LTJG on board a LST (Landing Ship, Tank). Larry served as Commanding Officer of the Naval Reserve Unit in Eureka from 1967-1971. ​

Family, agriculture connection and community service pretty well encapsulate Larry’s life. When Larry’s active service ended he and Jackee settled in Arcata — initially in the Sunset area and later in Sunnybrae. While living in Sunnybrae, their immediate family joyfully expanded with Merritt arriving April 14, 1965 and Merrill arriving August 21, 1974.

Ranching and all it entails was a very much part of Larry’s life. He began working for the Ford family enterprise consisting of cattle, sheep, timber, rock and rental operations. Larry served as office manager and bookkeeper along with his parents, Art and Katherine, as overseers, and sister Pam who sat across the desk from him in their Arcata office for many years. The office was moved from the ranch to town in 1974 and later returned to the ranch.

Larry and brother John also operated Ford Land & Livestock for a number of years. All the while Larrry tended the books, he was involved serving on various organizations’ boards. Together with his beloved wife, Jackee, he devoted countless hours to the Redwood Acres Fairgrounds (numerous years on the Board of Directors followed with 14 years as interim fair manager), while also providing leadership to organizations including the Humboldt County Farm Bureau, Arcata Bottom 4-H, Humboldt County Woolgrowers Association, Arcata Rotary, Humboldt County Cattlemen’s Association, Cloverdale Ram Sale Committee, Grandma and Grandpa’s Club at McKinleyvile High School, Humboldt State President Advisory Committee and the California Agricultural Leadership Program (Class II). Larry was a steadfast advocate for youth in agriculture. He believed in investing in young people, encouraging future ranchers and agricultural leaders through mentorship, education and service. His quiet leadership, integrity and unwavering commitment left a lasting mark on Humboldt County’s agricultural community.

Larry and Jackee’s family continued to grow in 1990, with Merritt marrying Mary Dawn McKenzie, and in 2007, when Merrill and Elizabeth Hinckley married at the Ford ranch. Larry enjoyed watching his family grow, and was a proud grandfather to his granddaughters and grandsons. He loved traveling and attending McKenzie and McKenna’s sporting events through the years, and spending time at the barn and on the ranch with Jon Waylon and Jack while they tended to their 4-H projects. Up to his last days, Larry let his family know what they meant to him. He was comfortable in knowing what was to come next and shared with his family, “We had fun, we had purpose, and we had a good life.”

Larry leaves behind his eldest son, Merritt, daughter-in-law, Mary Dawn, granddaughters; McKenzie (Gavin) and McKenna (Madalyn). His youngest son, Merrill, daughter-in-law, Elizabeth, grandsons, Jon Waylon and Jack. He also leaves behind his siblings, Penny Durant (Ken), John Ford (Charline), Pam Cavanagh (Jim) and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his love, Jacqueline, his parents Arthur and Katherine Ford, his in-laws, Marvin and Helen Stalcup, and his nephews Ford Cavanagh and Will Ford.Merritt and Merrill want to give a heartfelt thank you to the staff at Timber Ridge and Hospice of Humboldt. With out them we would be lost on the trail.

In Larry and Jackee Ford fashion we will celebrate their lives with a memorial service on Saturday, November 28, 2026 at 2 p.m. at Redwood Acres Fair Grounds, (Wayne Vickers Home Economics Building.) In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Hospice of Humboldt (3327 Timber Fall Ct, Eureka CA 95503).