Mary Rose Ford

Mary Rose Ford – passed away on September 13, 2012, in Dandridge, Tennessee, at the age of ninety-five after a long illness. She had described her life as a wonderful and happy experience. Her parents, Henry B. and Rillie O. Eli of Crofton, Kentucky, predeceased her. She is survived by her husband of sixty-four years, The Honorable Richard R. Ford; by their daughter and son-in-law, Sue Ford Harris and Charles M. Harris of Alexandria, Virginia; by his daughters Ashleigh Coniglio and her husband Steve; Courtenay Jones and her husband, Newell, and their three children; by her sister, Vera E. Mitchell; by her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Henry and Mirrell Ford, Joseph and Mary Ford, David and Brenda Ford, Conley and Mary Ford, Nona and Robert Nutter, Ann and Eugene Bradburn, Mary Ford Tipps, Dana Ford Jones, and Donald Ford. Mary grew up on a farm in Christian County, Kentucky, where she attended public schools. She taught school for a time in a one-room schoolhouse. After graduating from the University of Kentucky, she was a medical laboratory technician at Camp Campbell and later at Oak Ridge Methodist Hospital. She did post-graduate studies at the University of Kentucky. After World War II, Mary became a health physicist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the then-new science discipline of health physics. She continued post-graduate classes at the University of Tennessee, where she met her husband to be, Richard Ray Ford. Mary worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for thirty-five years, where she worked with Dr. Walter Snyder and Dr. K.Z. Morgan in researching the effects of radiation dose. Her colleagues knew her as "Mary Rose." She performed many of the calculations for, and participated in the development of, radiation dosimetry tables containing exposure limits to radiation. These tables became industry standards and are still in use today. Mary served on various national and international health physics committees and participated in the drafting of the original national handbook of regulations as well as the international handbook of regulations for radiation safety. She served with colleagues who founded the Health Physics Journal, an international publication wherein health physicists publish papers citing previous research, including some of her own. She admired her colleagues and their many accomplishments in their efforts to make the world a safer place for the beneficial uses of radiation while protecting against dangerous levels of exposures. Though her professional achievements were notable, throughout her career Mary reserved first place for her family. Mary was a kind and gentle person who avoided public notice of her professional achievements. Mary's memberships included Dandridge First United Methodist Church, the Health Physics Society, the Knoxville Bar Auxiliary, and the Dandridge Garden Club. She enjoyed her family, her many friends, and her retirement years in the family home in Jefferson County. Mary had bid all farewell "until we meet again." And now she has gone to her new and final home. A funeral service will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 18, 2012 in the chapel of Rose Mortuary. Interment will follow in Lynnhurst Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Dandridge First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 8, Dandridge, Tennessee 37725. The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Monday, September 17, 2012 at the mortuary. Online condolences may be extended at www.rosemortuary.com. Arrangements by Rose Mortuary Broadway Chapel.

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Mary Rose Ford

October 15, 1916 - September 13, 2012