Paulette Ford
In memory of Paulette Ford,
Ph.DD
On Saturday,
08/28/2021, Dr. Paulette
Ford, a research ecologist in Albuquerque, New Mexico, died unexpectedly in the Presbyterian Hospital surrounded by her family. She was 56 years old.
Paulette was born on October 29, 1964 in San Diego, California, to Shirley Hammonds-Ford and James Ford of Albuquerque. She is preceded in death by her grandparents Jessie Chambliss, Arthur Ward, Mary and Samuel Ray Ford I, her brother Samuel Ray Ford II, her sister Morgan Alloway and their beloved dogs Angel, Gobi and Itsy. Paulette leaves behind her parents James and Shirley Ford, her stepmother Evelyn Ford; her sisters Suzette Ford-Smith and Amber Ford-Dennison from California. Your nieces and nephews; Brandon; Dane; Dylan; Hannah; Stanley; Chelsea; Kelsey; Tyler; Christian; Samuel Ray Ford III; Naomi; Amani; Talan and Arielle, brother-in-law, step-siblings and a multitude of aunts, uncles and cousins. She also leaves numerous best friends and dozens of lifelong friends.
Paulette’s Amazing Life – During Paulette’s formative years, she lived in Morocco due to her father’s career in the Navy. She spent a lot of time reading and exploring the fields and cork forests outside the city of Rabat in Morocco. Upon her return to the United States, she lived in Akron, Ohio and attended St. Bernard and St. Vincent Elementary Schools and St. Vincent / St. Maria High School. After school she worked as a caretaker to pay her school fees. Her family then returned to San Diego where she graduated from Serra High School. She then studied at the University of Albuquerque and the University of New Mexico (UNM). She enjoyed field biology and took every opportunity to take part in excursions on mammalian and marine biology, including several trips to Mexico. She also took a parasitology class, where she excelled, and then did undergraduate research describing eight new species of parasites. In her honor, a new species of parasite was named after her, Eimeria paulettefordae.
Paulette also spent some time at Peace Corp in Paraguay after completing her dual studies in biology and psychology in 1989. She then returned to UNM to begin a master’s degree in biology. During her master’s thesis on amphibians in tropical dry forests, she described tadpole species, communities and breeding preferences. In 1992 she obtained her master’s degree. She received her doctorate as Dr. in Renewable Natural Resources, majoring in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Arizona in 2000, and became a Research Ecologist at the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station in Albuquerque.
Her expertise is in demand and widely recognized for her research on climate change, grassland ecology, and disturbances in southwestern ecosystems. During her 28-year career with the Forest Service, she received 25 Merit, Achievement and Citizenship Awards from RMRS and two awards from the Forest Service Chief for her work on grasslands and drought. She also received four awards from the USDA National Grassland Council for her guidance, service, and research on Kiowa National Grassland. After all, she is recognized in science and industry – by Consumers Energy, General Motors, Prairie View A&M University, Oakland University, and Women of Color Magazine (WOC) – for her positive and impactful role as a woman of color in the natural sciences, technology, engineering and science Mathematics (MINT). Paulette participated in the WOC STEM seminar in 2016 and was awarded the WOC STEM Technology All-Star Award in July 2021.
Paulette was dedicated to helping the needy and providing women and girls with basic toiletries and supplies. She also volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, adding time to help those recover from Hurricane Katrina. She participated in long distance cycling events to raise funds for the Leukemia And Lymphoma Society. She also worked with local sponsors like Whole Foods to host special conservation events and sponsor educational materials for students in underserved communities.
Paulette loved traveling the world for work and pleasure. She visited the Great Wall of China, South Africa, the Taj Majal in India, Australia, London, Ireland, Cuba, Jamaica, Alaska, Italy, France, Brazil, Bolivia, Mexico and Paraguay, to name a few. She also loved hiking in the foreshore and cycling in the Bosque. Her favorite saying was: “Keep it move.”
Paulette had given her life to Christ at the age of 13 and she was a born again, Spirit-filled Christian. She never gave up her faith in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and often spent many nights praying for her family and friends, for refugees, and for those who did not know the Lord. She was known for her early morning phone calls and text messages, “which only checked out her entire family and friends.”
Paulette was a longtime member of the Calvary Chapel of Albuquerque and supported her church’s program to support children in Mexico through Operation Christmas Child. She was loved by her family, colleagues, and people from many walks of life. Her colleagues remember her as a brilliant scientist, lovable loyal friend, humanist and devout Christian. She was also known for her witty sense of humor and for being the life of the party. We will miss Paulette very much, but rest assured, when you know and love the Lord, you will see her again!
Published by on September 5, 2021.
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