Ellen Joy Dupuis Ward

Ellen Joy, as her childhood friends called her, was born and spent her childhood in Ville Platte, Louisiana before making her way to LSU in Baton Rouge. It was there she met “blue eyes,” John F. Ward, Jr., who she married in 1952 and spent the next 36 years with, creating a beautiful family: 4 children, Michelle Ward LaBorde Ghetti of Austin Texas, John Forrest Ward, III (Nancy Landaiche) of Baton Rouge, and Lisa Ward Johnson and Kelly Ward Courville (Glenn) of Lafayette; 8 grandchildren, Jonathan Laborde (Kasey), Christie Battaglia, Scott Ghetti, Ben Johnson, John Ward, Ashleigh Ward, Camille Courville, and Matthew Courville; and two great-grandchildren, Grayson LaBorde and Harper LaBorde. Ten years after John’s passing, she reconnected with her first schoolgirl crush, George “Nickie” Neck. They married and until Nickie’s death, spent 10 adventure-packed years in their homes in Baton Rouge and at False River, traveling the world, enjoying time with their combined children and grandchildren, and cherishing their friends, old and new.

Family meant everything to Ellen. Her purpose in life was to get her family together and “create memories,” and she was very good at it. Holidays were command extravagant performances, and her kids and grandkids would come together every summer for a weeklong family vacation at the beach. And for her, family was an all-encompassing word—it often included the friends of her children and grandchildren who would also call her “Granny” or “EJ” and who have many fond memories.

Ellen was also the quintessential party queen! She knew how to throw a good party—starting back with her children’s birthday parties, high school prom “champagne” parties, cocktail parties for friends, fundraising events for charities, and showers and engagement parties for children of friends and family. She was creative, fun-loving, and loved to surprise people–she made everyone feel extremely special!

Ellen always had a good joke for you! Up until she took her last breath, she was amusing family and caregivers with great one-liners or a good Boudreaux joke! There is no doubt there are more stories, parties, dancing, and savage card games taking place in Heaven now– the angels will laugh every day!

A funeral mass will be held on Friday, October 1st at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church at 10:30 a.m. Visitation will be held from 9:00 am until mass time. Burial will follow at Green Oaks Cemetery, 9595 Florida Boulevard. Ellen’s family would like to thank her loving caregivers, Sylvia, Renee, Patricia, and Fay, and Dr. Daniel LaVie, his staff, and the entire staff at Mary Byrd Perkins Cancer Center for their exceptional care.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Friedrich’s Ataxia Research Association (FARA) or the Alzheimer’s Services of the Capital Area.