Mary E. Kennedy Ward was born on April 24, 1930 and died peacefully on Sunday, August 25, 2019. She was born to John Everett Kennedy and Blonny Cole. She grew up in Raleigh, graduating from Broughton High School.
Mary attended Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia and graduated from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill where she received her A.B. degree in history and was a member of Chi Omega sorority. She also attended Harvard University as a John Hay fellow, attended summer institutes and studied education at Northwestern University, Bucknell University, Georgetown University, and Duke University.
Her work experience includes Executive Director of the Jefferson Foundation. She was a member of the National Commission on the Social Studies in the schools, staff associate and director, Adviser-Responder Schools Network. She was a member of the National Council for the Social Studies, and Staff Director, NCSS Constitution Day, November 15, 1986. Mary was a teacher of history, government, humanities and English at Langley High School in McLean, Virginia and served as department chair from 1974-1985. She also taught at the American Community School in Athens, Greece. From 1955-1965 she taught History, English and Humanities at McLean High School in McLean, Virginia.
Mary was an experienced evaluator of instructional materials and education programs. As Director of The Jefferson Foundation, she advised applicants applying for a National Endowment for a Humanities grant. Her community work included the Arts Club of Washington as board member, chair of the Program Committee and treasurer of the Trustees of the Endowment. She was Co-president of the Georgetown Workshop Theatre. Mary also was chair of the House tour Committee, Dupont Circle Citizens Association.
She was a recipient of the Clinton E. DeBusk outstanding teacher award at Langley High School. Mary was member of Phi Delta Kappa, national honorary education fraternity and a John Hay Fellow.
Mary met Tom Ward in 1966 while teaching at Langley High School. Between 1966 and 1974 they traveled in Europe, Asia and Africa. They married in 1974 and lived in Washington, DC, moving to Raleigh in 1996. Mary and Tom spent 45 years together traveling and enjoying fine dining.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, August 29 from 6pm to 8pm at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary's St., Raleigh. Funeral services will be held Friday, August 30 at 11am at Hayes Barton Baptist Church, 1800 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh, NC 27608.
Arrangements by Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh.
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