William Clay Ford Sr., owner of the Detroit Lions, passed away Sunday at the age of 88. For more than 50 years, Ford hoped that his team might take home the Super Bowl win, but unfortunately, that is a dream unfulfilled. To remember Ford is to look back on the aspirations and shortcomings of a well-meaning, if indecisive, man.

The son of Edsel Ford and the last grandson of Henry Ford, Ford Sr.’s early years were rooted in automobile manufacturing. As owner of the Ford Motor Company, he helped to oversee the evolution of the automotive manufacturer from its early days to where it is today. Ford handled himself with immense patience, which was both his greatest attribute and, regarding the Lions, a flaw.

Returning home after a stint in the Navy during World War II, Ford spent much of his time in the automotive industry and starting a family. It wasn’t until 1963 that he purchased the Detroit Lions, starting a 50-plus-year quest to turn the franchise into a winning team, but the Lions only won one playoff game in 11 playoff appearances during his tenure.

Despite having extremely athletic players on the roster, such as running back Barry Sanders, the Lions couldn’t capitalize to secure an NFC Championship. It can be argued that Ford was patient and loyal to a fault. Sometimes, his patient resolve allowed for ineffective coaches and managers on the team to stay past their usefulness. For instance, he kept Russ Thomas, who had a losing record of 139-175, as the general manager for the team for 22 years.

Still, where such values led to a losing record for the team, they were good characteristics of a man who valued people above everything else. Winning mattered less to Ford than the relationships he formed with his associates and the people he worked with in the business – a rarity in the business where there is a usual win-at-all-cost mentality.

Where the Lions go from now is still very much up in the air. Ford had much less of a public presence in recent years, leaving his son William Ford Jr. to do much of the public speaking for the family. How much Ford Sr. had in the last few years is also up to speculation, but the franchise could be changing under new management.

What the ultimate legacy of William Ford Sr. is depends on how you view his accomplishments as a person. While his patience and value of people led to a losing team, his good nature will be remembered as a rarity in the sport.