Services will be held February 2 for Rev. Phillip E. Ford.

Ford died Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. He was 82.

He was born March 12, 1930, to Henry and Florence Ford in Pittsburgh.

Educated in the Pittsburgh public school system, Ford attended Temple University to receive his degree in accounting and Eastern Baptist Seminary to receive his master of divinity.

He served honorably in the United States Navy. He was founder of Phillip E. Ford and Co. and Teachers Tax Service and was professor of math and accounting at Berean Institute and Delaware County Community College. Ford served as a pastor in the Methodist church.

In his early years, Ford worked with Cecil Moore in the Civil Rights Movement and led the desegregation of a public swimming pool in Fredericksburg, Md. while in the U.S. Navy.

A lover of poetry, Ford could recite whole passages from Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Milton, and the Bible, of which he was a scholar. He sang on the Royal Priesthood Choir, which was founded by his wife.

Ford was preceded in death by his son, Jonathan Phillip Ford.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Dr. Vivian Ford; brothers, Robert Brooker (Betty), Clifton Brooker (Sondra) and Moe Brooker (Cheryl); children, Jason Ford, Denise Ford-Brown (Michael) and Linton Williams (Nisa); eight godchildren; eight grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.

Services will be held February 2 at the Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, 3723 Chestnut Street. The viewing will be held from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Service will follow at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Chelten Hills Cemetery, 1701 East Washington Lane.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the Jonathan Phillip Ford Foundation, www.jpf-foundation.org or P.O. Box 5417, Yeadon, Pa. 19050.