Donald & Sharon Ward

Don was born October 19, 1942 in Cushing, Oklahoma to Ray Harrison and Roberta Inez (Johnston) Ward. He grew up in Cushing and Ripley, graduating from Ripley High in 1960. Don would go on to join the Army National Guard in 1961, rising to the rank of Staff Sergeant in his six years of service.

Sharon was born March 24, 1946 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Lynn Merl and Elizabeth Iris Whittaker. A native of Oklahoma City, she graduated from North West Classen before attending Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia.

Don and Sharon were married on July 22, 1968, beginning 53 ½ years of adventure together. The pair settled down in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, and raised four children together. Don spent his early working life as part of the design project team for the Oklahoma Highway Department, which included designing the I-240/I-40 interchange, before dedicating 43 years to the Wynnewood Refinery as a Project Designer. In between staying home to raise her children, during which she sold Avon and Tupperware in her spare time, Sharon worked for the State of Oklahoma at several agencies, including the Oklahoma State Board of Public Affairs, the Pauls Valley State School, and the Oklahoma State Department of Human Services. After her retirement, Sharon owned and operated Bodies Kneaded Tanning and Toning in Wynnewood for the last 4 years.

Deeply devoted to one another and their family, Don was the one that the kids knew they could come to with any problem. He wanted to be their safe harbor, no matter what – even if it was just to hear one of his corny dad jokes. Sharon was also always available to provide a compassionate, listening ear whenever anyone needed her, and with her gift for gab, she always had a story to tell, too. Her boys were always teasing her, their antics never failing to bring her laughter. The two of them absolutely adored their children, grandchildren, and fur-babies without question.

Community was also important to them both. Don was the President of Wynnewood’s Little League Baseball Association for several years while his boys were growing up, and designed and built the still-standing concession building where Sharon worked selling snacks during the games. Sharon was also a proud member of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority when they first moved to Wynnewood.

Don was a very creative man, enjoyed making custom candles, and built each of his older grandchildren their very own custom toy box. He loved cars, and kept a list of all the cars he owned in his life, totaling nearly 150; Sharon always teased him that every time he would take her car for an oil change, he would come home with a different car than the one he left with. Sharon’s interests ranged from romance novels to crime shows like “24” (her all-time favorite), to knitting – she even knitted blankets for each of her grandchildren – to collecting Dreamsicles cherub figurines. For her, a perfect day would be sitting in the front porch swing and watching nature at the Redbud Valley resort in Eureka Springs. Don, on the other hand, could be found out at the golf course before sitting down to cheer on his OU Sooners.

Don is preceded in death by his sisters Carol Swisher and Wanda Swisher, his parents, his grandparents Claude and Addie Ward, and by his cousin Keith Moffat. Sharon is preceded in death by her parents, her grandparents, her brother Charles Whittaker, and her nephew Thomas Whittaker.

The pair are survived by their children: Stacy Hardin, husband Randy, of Midland, Texas; Tammy Howell of Wynnewood, Oklahoma; Brian Ward, wife Shana, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Alan Ward, wife Steffany, of Purcell, Oklahoma; Sharon’s brother Robert Whittaker, wife Melissa, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Sharon’s sister Iris Lynne Washington, husband George, of Tulsa, Oklahoma; grandchildren Delanie, Shelby, Deighton, Dannyn, Landon, Riley, Ryder, Maddox, Ian, Molly, and Sophia; great-grandchild Evie; nine nieces, seven nephews, and fur-babies Skamper, Gidget, and Onyx.

A visitation for the Wards will be held on Friday, April 1, 2022 at Chapel Hill Funeral Home from 4:00-8:00pm. Services for the Wards will be held Saturday, April 2, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at Chapel Hill Funeral Home, 8701 N.W. Expressway, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.chapelhill-okc.com for the Ward family.