William Clay Ford Sr., the longtime owner of the Detroit Lions and the last surviving grandchild of Henry Ford has died. He was 88 years old.
According to a statement released by the family on Sunday, Ford Sr. died at his home of pneumonia after helping steer Ford Motor Co. for more than five decades and owner of the Lions back in 1963.
“My father was a great business leader and humanitarian who dedicated his life to the company and the community,” William Clay Ford Jr., executive chairman of Ford Motor Co. and Lions vice chairman, said in a statement. “He also was a wonderful family man, a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him, yet he will continue to inspire us all.”
Lions team president Tom Lewand also released a statement on behalf of the organization:
“No owner loved his team more than Mr. Ford loved the Lions,” Lions President Tom Lewand said in a statement released by the team. “Those of us who had the opportunity to work for Mr. Ford knew of his unyielding passion for his family, the Lions and the city of Detroit. His leadership, integrity, kindness, humility and good humor were matched only by his desire to bring a Super Bowl championship to the Lions and to our community. Each of us in the organization will continue to relentlessly pursue that goal in his honor.”
Of course though Lions fans are still going to remember the years of losing under the ownership of Ford who purchased the team seven years after the team won the NFL Championship. Within the Ford Sr. era as well the Lions are the only team to go 0-16 which happened back in 2008 and have won only one playoff game back in 1992.
Despite the shortcomings with the Lions – which for all intents and purposes is totally meaningless at this point – Ford served in the U.S. Navy Air Corps during World War II and was a pivotal figure within the city of Detroit. Throughout his life Ford was a director of the Detroit Economic Club as well as an honorary life trustee of the Eisenhower Medical Center and a national trustee for the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America. In addition he also was an honorary chair of the United Way for Southeastern Michigan and served on the Texas Heart Institute National Advisory Council among other philanthropic and humanitarian endeavors.
In honor of Mr. Ford, Ford dealerships around the country will fly their flags at half mass for 30 days.