Dorothy Elizabeth Ward

Dorothy St. John Ward passed away April 22, 2016 at Hospice of Wichita Falls. Funeral Services will be held at Iowa Park Church of Christ at 10 AM on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 with Mr. Charlie Terry of Kamay Church of Christ officiating, where she faithfully attended. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery. A

visitation will be held from 6 PM to 8 PM at Dutton Funeral Home on Monday, April 25, 2016.

Dorothy was born Jan 24, 1925 at home near Matoy, OK to E.B. and Mary Etta St. John. She married James Ward in Abilene, TX Nov 6, 1946. Dorothy attended school at Matoy and Hail schools in rural Oklahoma and graduated from Bennington High School, OK in 1943. After graduation, she left the family farm and went to work in the Defense Plants Aircraft manufacturing. She resigned there to join the Women’s Air Corps with her sister Edith and family friend Katheryn. While in the Corps, she met her husband, Jim. They had 3 sons, Michael James, John Murray, and Paul Houston.

The family lived in several small communities during the early years, including Lazzbuddy, TX before moving to Valley View, TX in 1963. Dorothy worked as school secretary in the schools where James was Superintendent until the 1970 consolidation of Valley View and Iowa Park School districts. She then went to work at Sheppard Air Force Base, retiring in 1977.

Dorothy enjoyed playing bridge with friends in the Valley View School area and later with a group from Iowa Park and Holliday.

Dorothy is survived by sons Mike and wife Sandra of Kamay, Paul and wife Jenifer of Bluegrove, daughter-in-law Mona Ward of Grapevine, grandchildren Stacy Ward (Renea), Heath Ward, Jeremy Carroll (Nicole), Carissa Dean (Jason), great grandchildren Emilee and John Ward, Raylean Webb and Zachary Carroll, Payton and Callie Fisher, Blaise and Taly Dean, sister Ina Robison, sisters-in-law Nell Greene, Priss Springer, and Lorene St. John, brother-in-law Lon Ward and many nephews and nieces.

Dorothy was preceded in death by husband James, son John, her parents, and 14 brothers and sisters: Arvil, Vera, Hollis, Twins Estel and Ester, Zoe, Jim, Twins Murrell and Murray, Edith, Imogene, Twins Maxine and Nadine, and Ralph.

The St. John Family Reunion was dear to her, attending all of the first 55 years (all around and near Lake Texoma) which concluded last year for her. She loved the St. John Family as well as the Ward Family.

She resided in Valley View until 2008, when she and James moved to Royal Estates in Wichita Falls. A special thanks to the staff of Royal Estates for their friendship to her and a very special thank you to the staff of Hospice of Wichita Falls for the love and care in her final days. The family would also like to thank Faith Village Church of Christ for the Tuesday bible studies. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Kamay Church of Christ, Hospice of Wichita Falls, or a charity of your choice.

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