Ruth Ward's Obituary
Ruth Ward, age 82, of South Bethany, DE, passed away on Saturday, November 21, 2015. Ruth was born April 30, 1933, in Wilmington, DE, daughter of Anna (Sparks) Ward and Gilbert H. Ward of Roselle, DE.
She graduated from Oak Grove Elementary School in Elsmere, Alexis I. DuPont High School, and the University of Delaware (1955). Encouraged by a neighbor, Mary Holloway, she became an American Airlines stewardess and worked for American in various positions until her retirement in 1988. Her high school and college summer jobs at the Mug Joint on the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk inspired a lifelong wish for a home near the ocean, and she lived most of her working years in Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach, California, and after retirement in South Bethany.
A star athlete in high school, she became an avid skier, and skied many storied mountains in Europe, South America, Japan and the United States. Ruth and Pat, high school sweethearts, were married in 1985 at Mammoth Mountain in the California Sierras, where they skied regularly. Always up for adventure; but more - a loving and loyal friend, and a beloved aunt. Visits to Ruth’s homes in Southern California - Disneyland nearby - and in Delaware were joyful for nieces, nephews and their children and friends.
She and Pat were magnets for family gatherings; for more than twenty years, Ruth and Pat hosted Thanksgiving dinner for their extended families and friends. Ruth is survived by her husband James Patrick Ward, of South Bethany; her stepdaughter, Lisa Cirillo of Lewes; her brother, James R. Ward and his wife Tina of Wilmington, and their children, Tim Ward and Jennifer Mossman, and grandchildren; and her brother, Alan Sparks Ward of Lewes, and his children, Kathryn Koch, Guy Ward, and Callie Ward, and grandchildren.
Interment will be in Deer Creek, Maryland.
A Memorial Service will be held at Christ United Methodist Church, 6 N. Clifton Avenue, Roselle, DE on Saturday, December 19, 2015 at 11:30 AM, where friends may visit beginning at 10 AM.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association, DE Valley Association, P. O. Box 625, Georgetown, DE 19947.
Please sign the guestbook on this site.
FLORIST NOTE: PLEASE DELIVER ALL FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS TO THE CHURCH.
What’s your fondest memory of Ruth?
What’s a lesson you learned from Ruth?
Share a story where Ruth's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Ruth you’ll never forget.
How did Ruth make you smile?