Born January 4th, 1951 to Donald Stuart Ward and Mary Jane (née Kruming) Ward in Coronado California, Bill (as he was known to virtually everyone) didn't stay there long, as his father was a naval aviator and his mother a navy nurse, necessitating frequent moves. Despite this, Bill's optimism and wit won him friends everywhere he went, from California to South Dakota to Washington to Texas to Chicago to Virginia, relying on his lifelong love of scouting to keep him grounded.
While attending South Dakota School of Mines, Bill met Gerald Mosely, and a fast friendship led to discussions of religion and ultimately Bill's baptism on March 17th, 1970 into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Giving up his dream of serving in the military, Bill instead chose to serve a mission in England, where he served for two years and developed a strong and abiding affinity for the country and its people.
In 1974 Bill married his former wife Gaye Hansen, with whom he had four children (Andrew, Rebecca, Jennifer and Duncan).
Working for the Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Bill was instrumental in developing many products used by genealogists around the world, including Personal Ancestral File, Family Search, Family History Resource Files, and Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System. Perhaps most notable was the hand he played in the creation of Temple Ready, which he first envisioned during a talk by Gordon B. Hinckley, and strove to create and implement thereafter as if it were an Apostolic Directive , because he believed it was. Thanks to him, the speed and efficiency of Temple work was increased dramatically for Latter-Day Saints across the globe, and for those awaiting thier ordinances in the world beyond.
In 1984, Bill met and married his eternal companion Jill Renee (née Anderson) Ward, and in addition to adopting her daughter from a previous marriage, Amelia, he and Jill also had three sons (Charles, Jeremy and Evan). They remained married until his death and remain married still.
In later years Bill worked for the Boy Scouts of America, before going into semi-retirement doing research and documentation work for Fort Douglas in Utah. Bill always followed his passions when it came to his employment, and his work for Fort Douglas was no exception, as anyone who knew him could tell you how much he loved military history. They could also tell you how much he loved his family, who he was fortunate enough to be able to spend a great deal of time with near the end of his life, and they were fortunate enough to spend it with him. That end came on March 23rd, 2021 early in the morning as he slept surrounded by family in the comfort of his home. Bill was survived by his wife, his mother, his four sisters (Lynn, Jean, Donna Sue and Janice), eight children and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father and his brother, Robert, who we are sure he's overjoyed to be with again.
Bill was loved, and he will be missed.
Funeral Services for Bill will be held on Friday, March 26, 2021 at 11:30 AM at the Rosepark 4th Ward, East Chapel; 800 North 1200 West, Salt Lake City, Utah. A viewing will be held from 10:00 – 11:00 AM prior to the service. Interment will follow at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 S Highland Drive, Millcreek, Utah.
• In person and virtual Funeral Services will begin available at 11:30 AM. For details on viewing the services remotely, see below.
Join Zoom Funeral Service
https://zoom.us/j/97814049694?pwd=VVZJWnJwcHJsWjFyZ2NjcjZjQzI2dz09
Meeting ID: 978 1404 9694
Passcode: 771823
Dial by your location:
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 978 1404 9694
Passcode: 771823
