Charles Williams Ward

Charles Williams Ward, 84, of Rogers, Arkansas passed away peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday, November 27, 2019. Charles was born on July 9, 1935 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the middle of three children of Thomas Elmer and Olive Williams Ward. He lived most of his early life in Searcy and Beebe, Arkansas. He proudly served in the US Air Force and earned his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Arkansas. In the early 1960s, he designed and drafted for Douglas Aircraft in Tulsa, OK and Huntsville, AL, assigned mainly to the AIM-4/Falcon project and the Saturn series of rockets with NASA engineers, where his designs led to two patents. He then began what would be a 30-year career at Natural Gas Pipeline Co. of America/Occidental Petroleum. This position took him, along with his beloved wife Carolyn and their young family to various locations in Arkansas, Texas, Nebraska, and Illinois, ultimately settling them in Chicago. They were 22-year members of Calvary United Protestant Church, in Park Forest, IL, where they have many dear friends to this day. During that time, Charles served as an Elder, Choir member, and oversaw Buildings and Grounds. Charles and Carolyn retired to Rogers in 1994, where Charles devoted his time and boundless energy to local organizations Rocky Branch Fire Dept. (volunteer firefighter), Habitat for Humanity, and was a Life-Member of Mercy Hospital Volunteers. In his leisure time he enjoyed fishing with the Dirty Dozen Club. He was also a Life-Member of the University of Arkansas Alumni Assoc., AAME, ASME, AGA, ISA, and was a longtime member of Central United Methodist Church, where he enjoyed singing bass in the choir and served on the Board of Trustees. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his daughter Rachel French; sister Ann Sharpe, and brother Tommy Ward. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Carolyn Bruce Ward; daughters Ebbe Divins (David) of New Hampshire, Gina Drebenstedt (Duane) of South Carolina, Charma Bonanno (David) of Vermont, and son-in-law Michael French of Indiana; nine grandchildren: Falon French, Doug French (Meaghan), Erin Palmer (Robert), Iris Boney (Evan), Audrey Sobolesky (Tim), Bruce Drebenstedt (Elizabeth), Duncan Drebenstedt (Robyn), Daniel Divins, and Angelo Bonanno; twelve great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, and dear friends. A celebration of his life will be on Saturday, December 14 at 11 am with a visitation at 10 am at Central United Methodist Church in Rogers. Gifts in Charles’ memory may be sent to Habitat for Humanity of Benton County, 1212 N. Walton Blvd, Bentonville, AR 72712 or https://habitatbentoncounty.org/ or Central United Methodist Church of Rogers, 2535 West New Hope Road, Rogers, AR 72758 https://www.cumcrogers.com/. Arrangements are under the care of Rollins Funeral Home. www.RollinsFuneral.com