Dr. Florian Magno Ward

Dr. Florian Magno Ward was born on May 4, 1941, in Munoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines. Her parents were Paulino and Cayetana Magno. She was the 9th of 10 children. Her father, a school English teacher, instilled a love of learning in all his children. She peacefully passed away on December 16, 2025.

Florian graduated from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, with a B.S. in Pharmacy (1961), an M.S. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (1966), and a B.S. in Processing Technology (1972). She was also an Associate Professor, teaching in the College of Fisheries.

She married Ricardo Orejana in Santissimo Rosario Church on July 10, 1965, and had one child, Ephrem-Ericson (Eric) Orejana.

She decided to earn her Ph.D. in Food Chemistry and Processing at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA (1978), using a scholarship award from the USAID. She missed her son so much, writing to him weekly, that she finished her degree in 3 years instead of 4. She completed post-doc training in Quality Control in Germany and the UK.

Sadly, Ricardo passed away in May 1982. He was 42 years old.

In 1985, Florian returned to Seattle and worked for Ideal Products in Everett, WA, and then TIC Gums in Belcamp, MD. She worked at TIC for 17 years (1989-2006), first as a food chemist/technologist and eventually as Vice President of R&D.

In 1989, she married Richard Ward, and they lived in Chadds Ford, PA, until Richard died in 2014. She then moved to Bel Air, MD, where she shared her last years with William Hanway.

She was an excellent and passionate speaker for TIC Gums, traveling across the United States to conduct seminars and technical presentations for private food and pharmaceutical companies. She was asked to speak in 2011 at the College of Pharmacy, University of the Philippines, about Hydrocolloids in Pharmaceuticals.

Her awards include the Gold Medal, First Place on the Pharmacy Board Exam; Ten Outstanding Young Scientists Award from the University of the Philippines, given by then-President Ferdinand Marcos; and the Women of Color Research and Science Innovator Award in 2004. Her crowning achievement was obtaining a patent on the synthesis of a modified hydrocolloid, which enhanced emulsifying properties for food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical applications (US #6,455,512).

She is predeceased by her parents and siblings, Melecio, Napoleon, Tarcila, Anacleto, Marcelina, Leonardo, Raymundo, and Bernardina. She is survived by her sister, Carlota; son, Eric; daughter-in-law, Luisa; her beloved grandchildren, Vanesa and Ian, and many nieces and nephews.

We thank William Hanway for his devotion and loving care of Florian, especially in the last twelve years, as she suffered Alzheimer’s and after her breast cancer diagnosis.

Memorial masses in MD and WA are being planned for 2026.