In passing

William D. Ford, 77, education advocate

Ypsilanti Township, Mich. Former Rep. William D. Ford, a Democrat who spent three decades on Capitol Hill and dedicated himself to expanding educational opportunities for children, died Saturday of complications from a stroke, said a spokesman for Democratic Rep. John D. Dingell. He was 77.

A House member from 1965 to 1995, Ford served as chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor and as chairman of the House Committee on Post Office and Civil Service.

He authored the Middle Income Student Assistance Act and the Plant Closing Act and orchestrated the passage of the Family Medical Leave Act. In 1994 The Federal Direct Student Loan Program was named for him.

Attorney Philip Roy, 66, started Indian law firm

Great Falls Attorney Philip Roy, who established one of the first American Indian law firms in the United States, died Wednesday of complications from diabetes, his son said. He was 66.

He was the former director of the Montana Office of Economic Opportunity.

Roy filed a case in the 1980s that argued Montana had no right to tax tribal oil and gas royalties. The case went to the U.S. Supreme Court where the tribes won on appeal.

After active duty in the Air Force, he served in the Judge Advocate General Corps in the Montana Air National Guard. Roy later served as an attorney for the Montana Highway Commission and in 1969 was appointed director of the economic opportunity office.

Roy played a key role in developing a pencil factory, Blackfeet Indian Writing Co., which is now defunct but once employed about 70 workers. He also negotiated oil and gas exploration leases with major companies.

Hunter Hancock, 88, pioneering disc jockey

Los Angeles Hunter Hancock, widely regarded as one of the first radio disc jockeys in the western United States to broadcast rhythm and blues records and later rock ‘n’ roll, died Aug. 4. He was 88.

He was known on the air as “Ol’ H.H.” and was heard from 1943 to 1968 on a number of stations.

He also appeared briefly on KCBS-TV in 1955 with the Friday night show “Rhythm and Bluesville,” interviewing such musicians as Duke Ellington, Fats Domino, Little Richard and the Platters.

For several years, Pulse survey, a precursor to Arbitron, rated Hancock’s shows No. 1 among black listeners in Southern California. In 1950, the Los Angeles Sentinel newspaper rated Hancock the most popular DJ in Los Angeles among blacks.

In 1956, he became one of the first disc jockeys to play rock ‘n’ roll.