Lowell "Woody" Ward

Lowell “Woody” Ward, 83, Kokomo, passed away on Monday, May 9, 2011, at Golden Living Center at Sycamore Village. He was born November 22, 1927, in Bee Branch, Arkansas, to Willie and Rosa (Duncan) Ward. He married Thelma Grant on January 17, 1959, and she preceded him in death on July 11, 1997.

He graduated from Formassa High School in 1946 and attended Arkansas Tech College. He taught high school in Scotland, Arkansas and coached boys’ and girls’ basketball. He worked at Stellite/Haynes International, retiring in 1992. He was very active in the union and loved Democratic politics. He worked heavily on the Senate campaigns of former Senators Vance Hartke and Birch Bayh. After retiring from Haynes, he worked at Wal-mart for several years as a greeter. He was a member and past president of the Eagles Lodge and a member of the Greentown Masonic Lodge.

He is survived by two sons, Rick Ward, Kokomo, and Kenneth (Donna) Ward, Muncie; one daughter, Judy (Larry Greene) Sawyer, Sharpsville; grandchildren, Jesse (Kristen) Ward, Jon (Nicole) Silcox, Corey (Abby) Silcox, Tim (Eliza) Ward, Matthew Ward, Nathan and Rachel Dirck, Erica (Jason) Dishner, Michael Sawyer, and Kacy, Kelcy, and Kinzy Greene; ten great-grandchildren; two sisters-in-law, Beverly Grant, and Marion Neldon; and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife, Thelma Ward, he was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Joel Ward; sister, Wanda Felton; daughter-in-law, Melany Ward; and one great-grandchild.

The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Sunset Memory Garden Funeral Home with Pastor Dan Comer officiating. Entombment will follow in Sunset Memory Garden Cemetery. Visiting hours will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home with an Eagles memorial service at 7:30. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association. Messages of condolence may be made at www.sunsetmemorygarden.com.