OBITUARY

Name:   Charles Lee Ward

From:  The Bartlesville Examiner, Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Date:  Monday, July 6, 1998

Maj. Charles Lee Ward, USAF Retired, 77, died Saturday, July 4, 1998, at his home in Paris, Texas.

Funeral services for Mr. Ward will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at the Ramona, Oklahoma First Baptist Church. Mr. Roman Ward Jr. will officiate. Full military rites will be accorded Mr. Ward by the Fisk-Leffler American Legion Post # 334, Ramona, and Masonic rites by the Masonic Lodge 326 AF&AM of Ramona. Committal prayers and interment will be directed in the Ramona Cemetery by The Arnold Moore Funeral Service.

Mr. Ward will lie in state in the Drawing Rooms of The Arnold Moore Funeral Residence on Monday and until he is removed to the church on Tuesday morning.

Charles Lee Ward was born on December 1, 1920 at Big Heart, now Barnsdall, Osage county, Oklahoma. He was the son of the late Charles Ogden and Nellie Lee Ward. The Ward family lived in Big Heart until they moved to DeNoya, Okla. which was known as "Whizbang" and he began his education in the Webb City, Okla. community schools. He was graduated as valedictorian of the Senior Class of 1938 from DeNoya High School. He attended Oklahoma A&M College in Stillwater, Okla.

Mr. Ward served in the United States Air Force and retired after 24 years service as a Major. During his career with the United States Air Force, Mr. Ward was an aeronautical engineer and had been Field Maintenance Officer and then Chief of Maintenance.

During World War II he was in the European Theater of Operations in Africa, Sicily, Italy and France. In 1954, he served in Japan as an advisor to the Japanese Self-Defense Air Force. Following his retirement from the military service he was a cattle rancher along the Red River in Oklahoma north of Paris, Texas.

Mr. Ward married the former Faye Neal on September 12, 1946 in Tulsa, Okla. They made their first home in Shreveport, Louisiana. In 1947 they were stationed in Gulfport, Mississippi and were later assigned to Wichita Falls, Texas and then to Amarillo Air Force Base. Upon his return to the United States they were assigned to Perrin Air Force Base. From there they were sent to Moody Air Force Base, Valdosta, Georgia. Since that time they have lived in Paris, Texas.

Mr. Ward was a member of the Paris Masonic Lodge 27, where he was honored for 50 years service in 1996. He was a 32nd Degree Mason, a charter member of the Tulsa Consistry, Valley of Tulsa more than 50 years. He also was a member of the Shrine Hella Temple in Dallas, Texas, Order of Eastern Star Chapter of Paris, Texas, life member of the DAV and VFW Post 3990 in Paris, a member of the Fisk-Leffler American Legion Post 334 in Ramona, Okla., and a life member of the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

A memorial in remembrance of Mr. Ward has been established with the Shriner's Crippled Children's Hospital. Friends who care to remember him in this way, may forward their gifts to Shriner's Crippled Children's Hospital, 2001 S. Lindbergh, St. Louis, Missouri 63131. A memorial has likewise been established with the Lone Star Chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Mr. Ward is survived by his wife of 51 years, Faye Neal Ward, of the home in Paris, Texas; a daughter, Sonja Hedy Ward Nash and his granddaughter, Anna Jo Lee Anderson of Paris, Texas; his sister, Mrs. Hazel Caludine Ahrens of Tulsa, Okla.; and a brother, William "Bill" Birdell Ward of Sapulpa, Okla.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother; a sister, Mrs. Helen MaeBell Wallace; and his two infant sons, James Michael Ward and John Craig Ward.

Mr. Ward will be remembered for his great love of family and his country. He would be most honored if memorials could be made in his name to the Shriner's Crippled Children's Hospitals or the Lone Star Chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America.