Col. Gayle Gene Ward, U.S. Army, Ret.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Ruth Day Ward; his daughter, Dianne Spinks (John); his son, John Ward (Nathalie); his two brothers, Kermit Ward and Ken Ward; and his sister, Shirley Corkern.

He is survived by his loving wife of 27 years, Bernice Sekuler Fontaine Ward; his five step-children, Frank Fontaine (Athena), Miriam Fontaine, Bernard Fontaine (Laurey), Anna Fontaine Simpson (Master Chief Charles Simpson, III, U. S. Navy Ret.), and Paul Fontaine (Mandy); his eleven grandchildren, Charlotte Ward, Isabelle Ward, Eric Stockard (Amanda), Nate Spinks (Kimmie), Arianne Ketterer (Major Clarence Ketterer, U. S. Army), David Hock (Sheena), Rachel Fontaine, Lexi Simpson, Gabby Fontaine, Lane Hedrick, and Hagen Hedrick; and his five great-grandchildren, Lily, Mia, Kyla, Parker, and Jordan.

Gayle was born in West Monroe, Louisiana on June 11, 1932. He attended Fairbanks Elementary and Ouachita Parish High School where he lettered in football. Gayle graduated with a Batchelor’s degree in Business Administration from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, then went on to LSU to gain his MBA.

Gayle’s Army career spanned 23 years in five foreign countries plus the U. S. Pentagon where he participated in the Vietnam war, in Korea during the cold war, and in Lebanon for the Suez Canal conflict. Gayle often spoke of his time while stationed at Lai Khe Vietnam in the 1st Infantry Division Vietnam, the Big Red One, where he was the special staff officer for the commanding general. Gayle worked for General William Westmoreland, General John Hay, and General Keith Ware and also worked with then Colonel Alexander Haig. When at the Pentagon, he worked for Lt. General Joseph Heiser, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistic System Master Plan where they created the U. N. response (Reforger) – the contingency plan to reinforce and counter-attack an Eastern Block invasion of NATO countries.

Among the many medals earned throughout his career were a Legion of Merit Medal, 3 Bronze Star Medals with Oak Leaf Clusters for Valor, 2 Army Commendation Medals with Oak Leaf Clusters, and 2 Meritorious Service medals with Oak Leaf Clusters, 1 with Valor.

After his Army career, Gayle worked for Boeing Petroleum Services providing oversight of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and then at Bell/Halter developing prototype Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) for the U. S. Navy & Marine Corps.

Relatives and friends are invited to Celebrate Gayle’s life at Chuck & Anna Simpson’s home in New Orleans, LA on January 28, 2023, please bring your favorite memories to share.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Gayle’s memory to the United Service Organizations (USO), www.uso.org/donate.

To view and sign the online guest book, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com