The owner of a nearly century-old family founded trucking company died last week after a “recent illness.”
John Summerford of Ashford, Alabama died at the age of 74 on Tuesday, January 21st after a “recent illness.”
According to WDHN, Summerford attended Troy University after high school, but returned to his home town of Ashford in 1970 to get into farming. In 1976, he got into the family trucking business – Summerford Truck Line Inc., which had been operating in the area since 1928.
By 1978, John took charge of the company and expanded it until it eventually operated through all lower 48 states with a staff of more than 250 people.
In 1994, John founded Summerford Pallet Co., Inc. and then the Summerford Cattle Co., Inc.
“John loved to see a deep, green pasture with pretty red cows grazing, loved the solace that came from sitting quietly and listening to the cattle chewing the grass, and through raising cattle felt a deep spirituality saying that God was a cattleman like him and owned the cattle on a thousand hills,” his obituary read.
John is survived by his wife of 57 years, three daughters, multiple grandchildren, and even great grandchildren.