Harold Odell Ward

Harold Odell Ward, 82, of Wichita Falls, TX passed away peacefully Thursday, October 21, 2010 at his home surrounded by his loving family. Services have been scheduled for 1:00 p.m., Monday, October 25, 2010 at Hampton Vaughan Funeral Home Chapel officiated by Reverend Harvey McMurry. A reception will follow at Lenny and Jessica Ward’s home.

Visitation will be held 5:00-7:00 p.m., Sunday, October 24, 2010 at Hampton Vaughan Funeral Home.

Harold was born October 16, 1928 in Sentinel, OK to Oren Leno and Ethel Goines Ward. He attended and graduated from Port High School in Port, OK where he excelled at track and field and baseball. While there he met and married his lifelong sweetheart Roberta Marie Gardener June 14, 1948 in Hobart, OK and together they raised two children. Mr. Ward worked at a meat locker in Hobart, OK where he learned his trade prior to becoming a butcher for independent stores and meat markets in the Texoma area then becoming Meat Market Manager for United Supermarkets and Piggly Wiggly. During this time in his career he was active in the local Lions Club. Later he became the Master Radiator Technician at Ward’s Automotive in Wichita Falls.

Throughout his life he was an avid outdoorsman. In his early years he participated in Oklahoma snake roundups, fabricating one of the first “catch and release” snake catchers in the area. He was an enthusiastic fisherman and hunter, and later enjoyed and became quite proficient in wildlife photography. Ingenuity being the mother of invention, Harold fabricated personal stoves to heat the family deer stands and outdoor photography blinds. He and Roberta lived most of their married life in Wichita Falls where they raised their family.

Harold was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Donald Gail Ward and Kenneth Loren Ward.

Mr. Ward is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Roberta Marie Ward; son and daughter-in-law, Larry Dale and Linda Ward of Wichita Falls; daughter and son-in-law, Debra Ann and George Robbins of Arizona; brother and sister-in-law, Clayton Leon and Betty Ward of Elk City, OK; sister and brother-in-law, Clara Lou and Royce McClung of Marble Falls, TX; sister-in-law, Dortha Lawley of Sentinel, OK; grandson and wife, Lenny Thomas and Jessica Ward; granddaughters, Kristen Yvonne Robbins, Lorie Ann Ward-Haney; great-grandson, Kaleb Eric Ward; and beloved dog, Buster.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Harold’s honor to Hospice of Wichita Falls.

Please share both your written and spoken condolences and fond memories with the Ward family at www.hamptonvaughancrestview.com.