Colin John Ward

It is with great sadness that the family of Colin John Ward, resident of Mesa Arizona, formerly from Show Low, Arizona, Sierra Vista, Arizona, and originally from Great Falls, Montana passed away unexpectedly Wednesday morning May 26, 2021 at his home in Mesa, Arizona at the age of 80 years.

Colin Ward was born August 13, 1940 to John Merlin Ward and Mildred Margaret Stern in Great Falls, Montana. Colin attended and graduated from Great Falls High School in 1958.

Colin was married to Marcia Lynn Barsotti on May 19, 1962 in Great Falls, Montana until her death in 2005.

Colin married Betty Jean (Hammans) Lewis on November 29, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Colin and Betty had many adventures together. They visited Washington DC, New York City, Montreal Canada, Ireland, Maui Hawaii, Rocky Point Mexico, Montana, Utah, Nebraska, Yellowstone National Park, Portland Oregon, Glacier National Park, New Orleans, Tennessee, and Georgia. He enjoyed both an Alaskan Cruise and 2 Caribbean Cruise, one of which the whole family was able to join him. Colin and Betty loved trying new things together. They enjoyed Square Dancing, Line Dancing, Waltzing, and Two-Stepping.

Some of Colin’s jobs after high school included becoming a debt collector and a butcher. Colin was a member of the Rotary Club in Sierra Vista.

Colin lived in Sierra Vista Arizona from 1985 until 2017 when he moved to Lakeside Arizona to pursue his passion for Fly-fishing and joined the White Mountain Fly-fishing Club.

Colin belonged to TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Chapters in Sierra Vista, Tucson, Show Low, and Mesa, Arizona. During that time, he reached his goals and was an Arizona State King in 2001. Later Colin was State King runner-up in 2009. He actively supported his wife duties as the Arizona TOPS Advocate.

Colin rooted for the Diamondbacks and Suns. He really enjoyed attending the games! He also had a lot of fun attending the University of Arizona Wildcat games with his daughter Twila Strauss.

Colin was an easy-going, lighthearted man. Anyone that met him couldn’t help but like him. If you liked fishing you would be able to talk with him for hours about lures, baits, poles, and of course the fish and adventures of pulling in the big one. So to say Colin spent his free time fishing, fly-fishing and tying flies would be an understatement. He was the happiest in those moments.

Colin was preceded in death by his wife Marcia L. (Barsotti) Ward, son Kirk A. Ward, and daughter Twila D. Strauss and grandson Kyle T. Ward.

Colin will be sadly missed by:

His wife Betty J. (Hammans) Lewis-Ward, daughters Dana J. Ward {Mark Otterbeck} Whitney N. Ward-Canter {Keith Canter}, granddaughters Janelle N. Strauss and Haley N. Brown, stepdaughter Bonnie S. Rivera {Bill Dwyer} and step-grandson Jon-Pawl S. Rivera, as well as his niece Debbie Summers of Great Falls Montana, Aunt Freda Hall of Missoula Montana and Aunt Matha Karagiosis of Belgrade Montana – and so many others who he has touched their lives with his kindness and caring heart.

Colin’s memorial will be held on June 7, 2021 at 10:00 am at Mariposa Garden, located at 400 S Power Rd, Mesa, AZ 85206. We ask that you please wear a mask to protect family and friends.

To leave an online condolence to the family, please visit the Mariposa Gardens website at www.mariposagardens.com.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association.