Ford was a war veteran, a nurse, but above all, a Cougar fan

Steve Ford will be laid to rest Thursday at East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery

By Jim Freeman

CARYVILLE, TN (WLAF)- As a former high school player, there are those dedicated fans names and faces that are still with me from more than 50 years ago, like Collins and Marie Lusby, Pete Sharp and Shirley McGhee. For decades of Campbell County High School players and coaches, the name and face of Steve Ford will likely be with them for years.

Ford, a La Follette High grad, switched his allegiance to the Cougars starting in 1975, the first year of the school. That allegiance held strong until last Friday when the highly devoted fan of Campbell Football and Basketball passed away.

“Steve was a faithful CCHS basketball supporter, but more than that, he was a faithful servant for the Lord. I always appreciated chatting with him in between games,” said Josh Parker, Voice of the Cougars.

Ford was a veteran of the Vietnam War and served his country in the Air Force. After coming back home, he returned to school and became a healthcare provider as a registered nurse and also as a travel contact nurse.

“He was such a nice man and loyal fan!!! He would email me after every game with his breakdown,” said former Lady Cougar Head Basketball Coach Brad Honeycutt.

Aside from being a Cougar fan, Ford ministered to inmates at nearby jails. His jail ministry spanned Campbell, Scott and Morgan Counties.

“We had a great year in 2016-2017 until the district tournament. We entered the district tournament 21-6 and then hit a wall finishing the season with a loss at Maryville and on a three game losing streak. We were all completely down in the dumps. Two days later, I received a package in the mail with no return address. I opened it, and it held a two-page letter and a framed photo of our team Steve had printed off of the internet. The letter thanked us for the memories, and he individually thanked each senior for the way they represented CCHS,” said Honeycutt.

However, there was a time when Ford was just a wee bit torn when his great niece Courtney Ellison played basketball for the Oak Ridge Wildcats. He really enjoyed watching her play during her career at OR and at Roane State Community College.

“He always had a way to lift your spirits when it was needed most. Steve was our biggest fan and we will miss him,” said Coach Honeycutt.

Thank you for the memories, Steve, and your loyalty to the Orange-n-Blue. I’m sure the gang at Waffle House will sip an extra cup of coffee this week in your honor. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-12/03/2025-6AM-PHOTOS SUBMITTED)