Obit of Ward, Jesse Ray - Kiowa County, Oklahoma

Submitted by:  Gene Phillips  <genephillips@usa.net>  24 Nov 2004
Return to Kiowa County Archives:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/kiowa/kiowa.html
==========================================================================
                             USGENWEB NOTICE
                     Copyright.  All rights reserved.
             http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
==========================================================================
Ward, Jesse Ray

Lt. Col. Jesse Ray Ward Jess Ward died on Wednesday, August 21, at the age 
of 86, having lived his life with courage, honor and a great sense of 
humor. He loved his family and especially Kate, his wife of 51 years, his 
land, his cattle and his dog, Nugget. He never forgot a friend or a 
kindness. Jess was born on January 23, 1916 in Gotebo, Oklahoma. He was 
the fourth of 11 children, the third son of a third son. He joined the 
army at the onset of WWII, served in the Pacific where he was part of the 
planned invasion of Kyushu, then in Europe and Turkey. In 1951, he married 
his wife, Kate Elizabeth, whom he adored more than even his beloved land. 
Retiring from the army in 1960, he spearheaded the State of Texas 
Department of Public Safety's Defense and Disaster Relief until his 
retirement. Towards the end of his career, he fulfilled a lifelong dream 
by buying land in Davilla, Texas, where he built a cabin and outbuildings 
with his own hands. Jess Ward is survived by his wife, Kate, daughters 
Raye Elizabeth Ward and Suzanne Maltin of Austin, Texas, and Barbara 
Fleischer of Reno, Nevada, brothers Donald Ward of Edmond, Glenn P. Ward 
of Oklahoma City, and Hershel of Green Valley, Arizona. He was preceded in 
death by his son, William Stanley Ward. Services will be held at Cook 
Walden Funeral Home's Davis Chapel, 6100 North Lamar, Austin, Texas, on 
Saturday, August 24 at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please make a 
contribution to the charity of your choice.

Published in the Oklahoman on 8/25/2002.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Return to Kiowa County Archives:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/kiowa/kiowa.html