Jefferson Co., TX - Obits: Mrs. Seawillow Ward Stafford ******************************************************* This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb by: H. J. Dalton, Jr USGenWeb Archives. Copyright. All rights reserved http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ******************************************************* Beaumont City Library 695 Pearl Street Beaumont, Texas 77701 Microfilm BEAUMONT (TEXAS) JOURNAL October 30, 1978 MEMORIALS SEAWILLOW STAFFORD Mrs. Seawillow Ward Stafford. 85, died at 11:45 p.m., Oct. 29 at St. Elizabeth Hospital after a lengthy illness. A member of a prominent pioneer Beaumont family, she was the daughter of John C. and Belle Carroll Ward. She was born Aug. 29, 1893, at Corpus Christi, where the family resided for a brief time. Following her early education in the public schools and the Belle Austin Institute in Beaumont, she attended Sweet Briar College in Virginia. In her early years, she was a part of the large, active John C. Ward household at 1635 Park Street, which was a gracious center of hospitality for a host of relatives and friends of the family. In later years, together with two of her brothers, the late Henry L. Ward and King Ward, she continued the family tradition of hospitality in her home. An active participant in community affairs, she was a member of the First Baptist Church, Beaumont Country Club, Beaumont Art Museum, Beaumont Heritage Society. She served as the treasurer of the Magnolia Garden Club and was a founding member of the Texas Gulf Historical Society. For some years she was a business woman having served diligently in an administrative position in the family-owned business, the Texas Ice Company, and other investments. Survivors include her sister, Mrs. Emma Ward Kelso; two nieces, Mrs. Mabelle Martin Bryant and Mrs. Louella Ward Walden, all of Beaumont; two sisters-in- law, Mrs. Carroll E. Ward of Beaumont, and Mrs. John C. Ward, Jr. of New York; three nephews, Dr. Kyle Ward, Jr., of Appleton, Wisc., Clark Ward of Lake Charles, and Dr. Jerry D. Ward of Alexandria, Va.; five great nephews and numerous other relatives. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Oct. 31, in the chapel of the First Baptist Church, with Dr. Ed Bowles, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the Ward family plot in Magnolia Cemetery, under the direction of Kelley- Hixson Funeral Home. Pallbearers will be George Earl Bryant, III, Smythe Walden, Jr., Ward Walden of Baytown, Tom Ward and Frank Carroll, Jr., of Houston, Hal Ward of Lake Charles, Jerry Berly, Edwin L. Gorham, W. Smythe Shepherd, F. Sam Dengler, Ed Carroll, Irwin C. Perkins, Jim McFaddin, John B. Fisher, Jr., of Waco and Leslie Ballard, Jr. and John Sturdevant, both of Houston, and Dr. Robert Thomas of San Antonio. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- BEAUMONT (TEXAS) JOURNAL, October 30, 1978 DEATHS SEAWILLOW STAFFORD Funeral for Seawillow Ward Stafford, 85, of 2545 Louisiana, will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the First Baptist Church with burial in Magnolia Cemetery. Mrs. Stafford died at 11:45 p.m. Sunday in St. Elizabeth Hospital. Survivors include a sister, Mrs. Emma Ward Kelso of Beaumont.