Interesting Pholks

Often you meet the most interesting pholks just by chance.

A couple of weeks go I came across a gentleman in town to attend what he was told would be the last of his Lindsay High School class reunions. It was a multi-class event held at the Lamp Liter Inn in Visalia.

I believe it was the 65th reunion although Richard (Dick) Ford wasn't specific about the year of his class but said he hadn't been in this area for 15 years, the last reunion he attended. He said he was told by reunion organizers that this year's event would be the final “official reunion” for the classes invited. Ford, in his early to mid 80s, was accompanied by Walter Marino who doubles as his driver, almost full-time home remodeling expert and, as Ford likes to call him, “my body guard.”

Marino's mother is on call around the clock as Ford's nurse and care-giver. Ford lives in a large home in San Diego overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Richard Ford is an outgoing gentleman who likes to talk when spoken to but certainly isn't one to boast.

He obviously lives well and openly announces his wife, who died earlier this year of cancer, “made sure I would be taken care of for the rest of my life.”

Marino, a former correctional officer and current building contractor, said Ford keeps him extremely busy with remodeling and updating the 4,500 to 5,000 sq. foot home, the swimming pool and other projects. Marino says he supervises his own crews on other projects but the majority of his work time goes to seeing that Ford's remodeling and other projects are done just so.

During the conversation it was apparent that Ford has done very well for himself referring to the early days in Lindsay where his dad was a mailman. Ford said his first wife was an accomplished ballet dancer and together they made dancing and the teaching of dancing a long-time career. Ford attended several schools, including College of the Pacific (University of Pacific UOP) in Stockton. In addition to teaching dance Ford produced, choreographed and helped arranged events along with owning and operating five dance studios in the Bay Area.

He also began a Bay Area kids television program featuring dancing which later was later was aired on other public television stations across the nation during the 50s and 60s, he said.

Ford is especially proud of his involvement in teaching blind children to dance, a program he said was the result of requests from persons working with the blind. He embraced the idea that it could be done and it worked. Ford said one of the techniques he used was to wad up newspapers and place them on the dance floor providing spots for the sightless youngsters to feel with their feet.

Ford said he was involved in a number of musical and dance productions including a couple in the Visalia area.

He later expanded his endeavors into interior design which also provided numerous opportunities and allowed him to invest for his future.

Although he has lived in Southern California for quite some time, Richard Ford has never forgotten his early years in Tulare County. He once reigned as King of the Lindsay Orange Blossom Festival and although his visits to Tulare County have been infrequent and far between, he has many fond memories.

With no financial worries and having reliable care providers as well as his transportation needs met, Ford is not bashful about expressing his gratefulness for having had so many opportunities, experiences and accomplishments.

As he savored what he said was an outstanding martini the evening before the reunion, Ford sat back, looked me in the eye and said “I have had an absolutely wonderful life,”

And pholks, although I was unable to accept Ford's invitation to attend that supposed “final scheduled reunion” I'm pretty sure there were enough memories to fill the afternoon.

Once again, I took the chance to ask a couple questions which led to discovering another interesting one of those pholks who has made a difference in the lives of others.

Now, if I could just get one of my chances in the Super Lotto to pay off as well.