Nick was born on July 2, 1954 in Durand, Wisconsin the son of John and Dorothy Ward. He grew up on the family farm and in a community of many cousins and extended family. Later on, the family moved to California where Nick attended high school. Nick started college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo as a Chemistry major. He then transferred to UCLA, earning a degree in Mathematical Psychology that introduced him to a whole world of theories in computer science and mathematical modeling. He went on to earn a PhD in experimental psychology from the University of Kansas. Nick met his future wife, Kim at KU and they were married on October 4, 1980. Together, they raised two children, Brandon and Shannon.
Nick had an exciting career in marketing research, which focused on new product development. His career brought him to Ontario, Connecticut, and Wisconsin, before he settled in Sudbury, Massachusetts in 1992. In 1995, Nick started his own consulting company Marketing Pathfinders.
Nick was a lifelong, avid outdoor enthusiast. He spent his childhood on family farms in Durand, his summers as a young adult in Yosemite and Yellowstone national parks, and he passed on his love of nature to his children. Nick was an expert skier and fisherman, and he traveled across the continent for fishing and skiing adventures with his family. His hobbies at home included ancestry research, statistical modeling, and career counseling.
Nick will be remembered for his strong mathematical and analytical mind. His extreme curiosity and ability to pose novel questions made him successful in his many professional and personal endeavors. Nick was an excellent teacher, and everyone who crossed paths with Nick appreciated his wisdom and life lessons.
Nick is preceded in death by his father John P. Ward, mother Dorothy L. Fox Ward and his brother Bill Ward. He is survived by his wife Kim; children Brandon (Cathy) Ward and Shannon Ward; granddaughter Alice; sisters Karen Tarrant and Chris Tarrant; brother Jim (Dorothy) Ward; and beloved nieces and nephews Benjamin, Matthew, Patrick, Hannah, Levi and Aibai. His stepmother whom he loved, Harriet A. Hull Ward died soon after Bill.
Burial will take place at Forest Hill Cemetery in Durand. In lieu of flowers Nick has asked that donations be made to the Sierra Club (https://www.sierraclub.org) or Audubon Society (https://www.audubon.org)
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