By Amy Miller

amiller@tnonline.com

“I live in Jim Thorpe. I live in Jim Thorpe.”

Those were words I would hear over and over again from our photographer every time I whined about not having a topic for my next Where We Live column.

I used to get so annoyed by it because “I live in Jim Thorpe” a thousand times would not make for a very good column, especially since I don’t live in Jim Thorpe.

Now, I wish I would hear him say those words one more time.

I met Bob Ford in the summer of 2004 as an intern with the Times News.

I was young and scared in an industry I barely knew anything about, and my second assignment was with Bob.

I can still remember sitting in his vehicle as we drove to our assignment in Lehighton, and I was so intimidated by him for reasons unknown. Maybe it was the bald head. Or maybe it was just his larger-than-life personality that seemed to ooze from him.

But as the days turned into weeks and I became familiar with the editorial staff, I learned that Bob had a big heart wrapped up inside a tough exterior that was fueled by nicotine and Mountain Dew (his words, not mine).

Over the next year, I would return to the Times News on school breaks either to visit or to write for a few weeks.

Each time, Bob would joke with me like he did with so many.

When I became a full-time reporter here, he began saying I was the intern who just wouldn’t go away. I guess he was right since it will be 15 years full-time this May.

Over the next decade and a half, I learned a lot from him, both about photography and just about the world in general, and I’ll admit it, we sometimes picked on each other, as I would tell people, like we were siblings. He was like the big brother I never had when it came to tormenting me. It was easy for him to do too, considering our desks were facing each other, so it wasn’t uncommon to look up to find him making a face or trying to take my photo without me knowing.

He was part of my life, more so than just as a co-worker. He was my husband’s best friend, and we spent a lot of time together with the Fords outside of the office.

I have countless memories of him, from taking a flying lesson for a story with him strapped into the back seat sick as a dog from motion sickness, celebrating “Meat Fest” or New Year’s Eve with his family at their home, photographing his daughter’s wedding and all the inside jokes we shared that are now fond memories.

He was also the best man in our wedding and the godfather to our son.

Bob was larger than life in so many ways, as many in this area know. He always knew what to say, even if it wasn’t what you wanted to hear.

He was an all-around great guy, with one hell of a big sense of humor, and his photography was a notch above most.

The Times News now has a void that will never truly be filled.

Bob was unique in many ways, and for that we are all grateful for getting the chance to know him.