Ruth Ward

Mrs. Ward, 85, of Charlotte, NC passed away June 13, 2011 at Southminster Retirement Community. Ruth was born on March 27, 1926 in Bridgewater, MA, and was the only child of William Richard and Mary Bailey Walsh. Ruth spent her childhood in Bridgewater and attended public schools there, graduating from Bridgewater High School. She went on to Bridgewater State University, receiving her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Elementary Education. Following college, Ruth taught school for three years in New Haven, CT, but wanting to see the world beyond New England, she joined the US Army in 1951 and graduated in the second Women’s Officers Candidate Class of the Women’s Army Corps, being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant at Fort Lee, VA.

It was while being stationed at Ft. Lee that Ruth met Captain Richard C. Ward and they were married there in the post chapel in 1953. Shortly after they were married, they both received orders for Tokyo, Japan and she was promoted to First Lieutenant. It was in Tokyo that their first child was born and she resigned her commission. But Ruth did not stay at home long and within a few months was named Assistant Principal of the Yoyogi Military Dependent School. Her husband’s military career took the family on to Brooklyn, NY; Izmir, Turkey; and San Antonio, TX with a move to Charlotte in 1966 after her husband retired from the Army.

Once in Charlotte, Ruth became extremely involved in local groups and was a long time member of the New Neighbors League, Charity League, American Association of University Women, Rambling Roses Garden Club, the Retired Officers Association, American Red Cross, and the Republican Women’s Club. She was an avid bridge player and played as often as possible up until the last few years. Though she had lived in the South for almost 60 years, she never lost her New England accent, though it was often tempered with some true Southern expressions.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1988 but is survived by her son Stephen Ward, his wife Mary, and their daughter Molly; son Jeffrey Ward, his wife Linda, and their daughter Bailey and son Raus; her daughter Brenda Ward and her partner Amy Clark; and stepdaughter Suzanne Ward Griffith and her husband Andrew; as well as dear friends Mary Wooden and Gloria Revere. The family would like to sincerely thank the dedicated and caring staff at Southminster, especially Anneil Lorig and Dawn Hanna.

A Memorial Celebration of Ruth’s life will be held on Friday, June 17, 2011 at 12:00 noon at Harry and Bryant Company, 500 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC. The family will receive friends immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorials may be made to the Heineman Foundation of Charlotte, NC www.heineman.org and the American Cancer Society www.cancer.org