Jon Ford was born to a Helena farming family in 1943. He graduated from Helena High School in 1960, but before attending college, he traveled the United States as the elected national president of Future Farmers of America (FFA). After his year serving FFA, he attended Oklahoma State University where he intended to become a veterinarian, until he ran into organic chemistry. After reevaluating his future, he changed his major to prelaw and eventually received his law degree from Oklahoma University. After graduation, he enlisted in the Army and served in the JAG Corp during Vietnam, where he was deployed for a time.
After his time in the military, Jon returned to NW Oklahoma and set up shop in Enid specializing in Family Law, to which he has dedicated his life and career. Jon has been very active in the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Family Law Division, holding several offices and ultimately President for a term. Jon was instrumental in developing a family law trial training program for the Family Law section called the Frail Advocacy Institute to teach lawyers how to try family law cases. This weeklong, intensive program has trained many lawyers statewide to be better advocates for their clients. Jon also took a year off to help develop the Oklahoma Family Law Practice Manual, which is a comprehensive guide for lawyers that has hundreds of forms and procedures for lawyers to use in practice. Many family law lawyers find it irreplaceable and use it in their practice daily.
During his professional career, Jon was appointed the first President of the State Ethics Commission, served as the Secretary of Agriculture under David Boren, and served on the OSU Board of Regents.
Although he recently turned 80 years old, he still goes to the office every day and is a tireless advocate for his clients and mentor to other lawyers. He has been married to his lovely wife, Diane for 15 years, and he enjoys reading, helping Diane garden, and humoring her on myriad adventures and travels. Jon has one son, Justin, who lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
If you have ever met Jon, he would consider you a friend, and for a life well lived (and living), Jon is a true “Local Legend.”
