"How are all my friends?" was Billy's signature greeting to everyone as he walked into the office each morning. Billy passed away earlier this year. We sure will miss him. I feel like it is an end of an era for many of us here. Billy's brother, Punkey, passed in 2010. Many of the managers here started back in the '70s and 80's; it feels a little weird working without the generation that began with our founders. The torch and ownership of Valley View Farms passed to Billy's son Andy a few years ago.
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| Andy and Billy among our farm greenhouse poinsettias |
My memories of Billy are of a man who maintained extraordinary relationships with his staff and with growers and other vendors.
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| Store manager Tim, business associate Bruce, and Billy |
He worked year round 7 days a week, with a few vacations over the year, usually one in the wintertime to Barbados with members of his family, and another in June with his fishing buddies, marking the end of a busy spring season. When he was doing the bulk of the plant order, he would arrive at 5:30 am to get orders to our suppliers and our grower John for vegetable plants, hanging baskets and other items from the farm. Early in the week, he would meet with our adman Dick and media salespeople to put together TV and radio advertising for the season.
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| Nora and Billy during our WBAL broadcast |
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| Billy and Bob at the WBAL Kids Campaign broadcast |
He checked numbers everyday for sales, adding information about the weather, traffic or anything else that may have contributed to the day. In the summer, Billy would leave earlier in the day to work on his vegetable garden.
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| At home in his garden, Billy taught all of us about gardening successfully |
The man knew how to grow vegetables, and was incredibly generous as he brought buckets full of tomatoes, cucumbers or whatever he had harvested to share with us at Valley View Farms. As the tomatoes came in, he spent time with his daughter, Lisa, canning batch after batch to be used later.
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| Billy's wife Kay and daughter Lisa |
Billy was quite the cook too, and made some wonderful soups for winter consumption.
Billy had recently renovated the farmhouse he lived in with his wife, Kay.
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| Billy used his electric cart to carry the harvest from his garden back to his house |
While Billy grew vegetables, Kay worked on growing a flower garden, including many planted in containers.
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| Kay and Billy |
She loved the garden, but probably not quite as much as she loved her horse, who, if memory serves, was named Will.
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| Billy last October with one of the big pumpkins |
Billy took a trip "up the river" each fall with Matt and Andy in search of big pumpkins. We displayed the huge orange orbs throughout the month of October. Early on, Norm Lewis, then later Tom Tasselmyer, counted each seed as part of our annual contest here.
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| Tom T and Billy pose in front of the big pumpkins |
Billy lived a pretty simple life. He took pride in his business, his family and his garden. Billy kept up with a couple of fraternity brothers from Cornell and some close friends in the area.
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| Billy with his friend, Dyson |
As a grandfather, he spoke with pride of his granddaughter Kaylin and grandsons Will, Jackson and Mason. They called their granddad Buddy. He showed me the pumpkins he was growing for his two youngest grandsons a few years ago.
For me, Billy was the guy I talked to about current events. We usually met on Sunday mornings in his office to catch up. He genuinely listened to others opinion's before contributing his own. I think I'll miss those mornings most of all.
Billy loved his "people". During MANTS, a regional trade show, he would catch up with many of VVF's growers and suppliers. Instead of walking the trade show floor, Billy invited everyone to lunch in the adjoining hotel, or, if time permitted, for a beverage once the show closed for the day. At an international show in Ohio which Billy attended for decades, he'd do the same, catching up with old friends and making new bonds with business people from the horticultural world.
On a more personal note, I've lived near Billy for the last 20 years or so. He didn't stop by often, but did now and then, meeting my family and a few close friends. Billy supplied me with firewood that he cut and stacked himself. When I was out after a total knee replacement, Billy stopped by with home made soup. He's just that kind of guy.
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| Scott, Billy and John |
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| Grandson Will, son Stuart, Billy and Vernon |
I look forward to hearing more stories about Bill as we celebrate his life. His son Andy took over ownership of Valley View Farms some time ago, and we all look forward to carrying Billy's legacy of friendship and goodwill to our allies in business and our customers who have blessed us with over 50 years of being in business.
Once he crosses into the pearly gates, I can picture Billy once again saying "How are all my friends?" as he reunites with those who passed before him.
We'll miss you, Billy.
On January 25, 2017 William "Billy" C. Foard; beloved husband for 56 years of Katharine "Kay" Foard (nee Andrew). Devoted father of Elisabeth "Lisa" C. Foard and her partner Lisa, William "Andy" A. Foard and his wife Kristen and Stuart B. Foard and his wife Debra. Loving grandfather of Kaylin C. Foard, William "Will" D. Foard, Jackson D. Foard and Mason D. Foard. Brother of Suzanne Foard and the late John "Punkey" B. Foard, III.
