Sybil Ellen Ward

Sybil Ellen Ward was the daughter of the late Linda and Emmett Ellen. She was preceded in death by the father of her children David A. Ward, her brother William Ellen, and two grandchildren Aliyah Belle Renfrow and Alexander Prentiss Ward. She is survived by her children Karen Scapellato (Dan), Pamela Renfrow (Jim), and David A. Ward, Jr. (Sharon). She is also survived by her sister Jean Marshall, her brother Emmett Ellen, and her grandchildren Dylan and Emily Renfrow, Gina Scapellato, and Abigail Ward. Sybil Ellen Ward was born Sybil Grey Ellen on April 26th, 1934 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. She grew up in the country with her two brothers and sister, and often spent summers at an aunt and uncle’s plantation where she worked the fields, harvesting tobacco. She later moved with her family to the Richmond, Virginia area where attended and graduated Hermitage High School. After graduation, she went to work in Richmond at City Hall and worked there for many years. After that, she lived in Colorado for a time before returning to Richmond and marrying David A. Ward. Together they had three children, Karen Paige, Pamela Ann, and David Alexander, Jr. She devoted much of her time to being a loving mother who always put the care and enrichment of her children before her own passions, of which she had many. Sybil enjoyed spending time at the beach collecting shells and at the “rivah” with family, where she spent time swimming, boating, and enjoying all that the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers had to offer. In particular, she was crazy about the local oysters, even going so far as to often make oyster pancakes for breakfast—an acquired taste that some of her children and grandchildren have yet to acquire. Being a woman of an artistic and creative nature, she loved getting lost in novels both classic and contemporary, and was skilled at both painting and photography. She was a lover of animals large and small and enjoyed bird watching, whether it was with her friends or roaming the woods of her home in Hanover or just watching out of the window with binoculars in hand. She was also a talented seamstress and her skill with needle and thread ensured that her children never wanted or expected store-bought costumes for Halloween. From Minnie Mouse and the alien E.T. to the authentic slip dress and stockings of a 1920s flapper, and many other costumes in between, there were no limits to her considerable talents. As it happens, neither Santa nor the Christmas holiday escaped her crafty gaze, and she often spent months crocheting works of art, making ornaments, and crafting personalized Santa figures for her family--all wrought by her skilled hands and meant to be passed from one generation to the next. Later, when she became an owner and manager of Stillmeadows Farm, she was an avid and tireless supporter of her daughters’ horse show competitions. Every weekend, she would get up before the crack of dawn to drive them (and drag certain others) to horse shows all over the state and beyond. During her time at Stillmeadows, she was a beloved “barn mom” to many, from the children who took lessons and competed to the staff and helpers, all of whom she thought of as family. She tried the riding bit a time or two but didn’t care for it. For her it was strictly a spectator sport, although she could deftly wield a pitchfork and muck a stall or throw hay with the best of them. After retiring from the barn, she spent time visiting with and taking pictures of her grandchildren. When not riding up and down the highway between Florida and northern Virginia and Richmond, she enjoyed quiet time at home gardening, cooking, and doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles that would stump a bona fide genius. And as anyone who ever had the opportunity to play Scrabble with her can attest, she was a formidable and lively opponent, never afraid to take a chance or have a laugh at her own expense during a game. She spent the final years of her life ensconced in family, seeing friends as often as she could, and always enjoying the company of both. In her 85 years, she touched and changed and shaped too many lives to count. She will be greatly missed by many, but her memory will be forever cherished by all who knew her.