Richard J. Ward Jr.

Richard "Dick" was born on March 25, 1947, to Doris and Richard Joseph Ward in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. He graduated from Salesian High School in 1964 and went on to earn a Bachelor of Business Administration from Manhattan College in 1968, where he was a proud member of Delta Sigma Pi fraternity.

Dick began his career at Cowen and Company, LLC, launching a distinguished thirty-three-year tenure on Wall Street as a trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. He retired from Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith as Director for Institutional Trading, capping his career with the esteemed honor of ringing the Closing Bell at the NYSE on March 22, 2001.

He was elected a member of the New York Stock Exchange on November 1, 1973. On July 10, 1975, he was appointed Assistant Vice President of Merrill Lynch. He was welcomed into the Merrill Lynch Quarter Century Club on July 1, 2000, recognizing twenty-five years of service. Dick was also a member of the NYSE Luncheon Club.

In 1966, Dick met Maureen Mendres, and they married on October 11, 1969. They lived in Stuyvesant Town in New York City before moving to Bronxville, NY, in 1980, where they welcomed the birth of their son, Richard Joseph Ward III. In 2013, they moved to Alexandria, Virginia, and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2019.

Dick was predeceased by his parents, Doris and Richard J. Ward; his sister, Doris (Ward) Knox; his brother, John F. Ward; sister-in-law, Geraldine (Mendres) Meyer; and brother-in-law, Leonard Zanni. He is survived by his wife, Maureen, his son, Richard Joseph Ward III, and daughter-in-law Carolyn (Coda), along with their two daughters, Elizabeth Grace "Ellie" and Isabelle Rose "Izzie" of Alexandria, VA. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Grace (Mendres) Zanni; Len and Jeanne Zanni and their children, Grace and Curtis, of Colorado; brother-in-law Gerard Meyer of Florida; niece Jennifer (Meyer) Jaso, her husband Eric, and their son Francis, of New Jersey and brother-in-law Barry Knox, of Connecticut. Dick leaves behind many other loving relatives and cherished friends.

A devoted Catholic, Dick was a parishioner of St. Joseph's Church in Bronxville, NY, and later, The Basilica of Saint Mary in Old Town Alexandria.

He served honorably for six years as a Private in the Brooklyn National Guard. He also served on the Board of Directors of the College of New Rochelle, volunteered with Bronxville Meals-on-Wheels, and was a longtime member of the Bronxville Field Club.

Dick was widely known for his wit, dry humor, and memorable storytelling, all affectionately captured in the family’s enduring collection of "Dick Ward stories." He loved his work at the New York Stock Exchange, was a devoted fan of the New York Mets and New York Giants, and enjoyed reading the New York Post every day. One of his favorite destinations was Bermuda, where he and Maureen vacationed more than eighteen times.

The family extends special thanks to the staff at Renaissance of Annandale, Virginia, for their compassionate and professional care, which brought comfort and dignity to Dick in his later years.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM on Thursday, May 15 at The Basilica of Saint Mary.

In lieu of flowers, tax deductible contributions may be made in honor of Richard J. Ward Jr. to:

The Basilica School of Saint Mary

400 Green Street

Alexandria, VA 22314

https://www.smsva.org – Go to the Giving page / Go Saints! Fund and note: Gift in memory of Richard J. Ward Jr.

Or, donations may be sent to Renaissance of Annandale, Attn: Latoya Brown, 7112 Braddock Road, Annandale, VA 22003. Please include a note or memo indicating the gift is dedicated to the staff in memory of Richard J. Ward Jr.