B. "Tom" Thomas Ward Jr.

Tom was born on September 17, 1931 and graduated from Greensboro (Grimsley) Senior High School in 1949 where he played football and basketball. He graduated from North Carolina State University in 1953 with a BS in Textiles where he served as Vice President of the Student Government and President of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity.

He was a four-year R.O.T.C. at NCSU and commissioned as a second lieutenant, graduating from the U.S. Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Ga. He served tours as a platoon leader at bases in Mt. Washington, N.H. and Ft. Churchill, Manitoba, Canada before serving as a field instructor at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Tom entered the investment business in 1960 and worked for 44 years with Morgan Stanley and its predecessors, most of those years in investment consulting. He retired in 2004 as Vice President, Investments.

Tom was actively involved in the Greensboro community. He was devoted to First Presbyterian Church where he was a deacon and elder, a member of the pastor nominating committee, President of the Young Mens Bible Class and participated in capital campaigns. He served as Director of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, American Red Cross and the Greensboro Country Club. He was Chairman of the American Cancer Society Fund Campaign and the March of Dimes Fund Campaign. He was on the Guilford College Board of Visitors and was a founding member and served ten years on the Piedmont Interfaith Council. He was active in the Greensboro Jaycees, Wyndham Championship (formerly the Greater Greensboro Open) and was a member of the Greensboro Kiwanis since 1967.

Tom had a lifelong devotion to Scouting, starting with achieving the rank of Eagle Scout with Troop 11 (Holy Trinity Church) and served for two years as a counselor at Camp Graystone (now Camp Douglas Long) in Guilford County. He was past president and served on the executive board and as a trustee for the Old North State Council which oversees the Boy Scouts of America in the Triad area, receiving the Silver Beaver award for his service.

He founded and was Chairman of the North Carolina Stadium Authority (1967-70), created to build a major league stadium facility and bring a NFL franchise to North Carolina. He was a founder of the Guilford Veterans Memorial, chaired the Parents Council at St. Mary’s School in Raleigh and Converse College in Spartanburg, S.C. and helped organize and was past president of the Sherwood Swim and Tennis Club.

In 2002 Tom was instrumental in the creation of the General Hugh Shelton Leadership Center at NCSU and served on its Board of Advisors. The Center trains students and future leaders in the principles of leadership centered on ethics and values.

He established the Ward Fund, a charitable fund for annual gifts in perpetuity to aid various causes including the Salvation Army, Boy Scouts of America, Eagle Scouts and the Shelton Leadership Center.

He was predeceased by Betty Lou Ward, his devoted wife of 60 years. He is survived by daughters Patricia Ward Hendrix, Elizabeth Ward Smart (Lee) and Josephine Ward Shuford (Jim); grandchildren Will Jr., Jody and Ben Hendrix, Tommy and Spencer Smart and Lindsay, Anna, Josie and Harley Shuford; and a sister, Josephine Ward Patton of Chapel Hill.

We invite vaccinated friends to a service to celebrate Tom’s life at 11 am Thursday, January 27, 2022 in the Virginia Somerville Sutton Theatre at Well-Spring Community, 4100 Well Spring Drive and ask that attendees wear a mask.

Donations may be made to AuthoraCare (Hospice) 2500 Summit Ave., Greensboro, NC 27405, the Salvation Army or a charity of the donor’s choice. The family is being assisted by Hanes Lineberry Funeral Home.

Online expressions may be made through www.haneslineberryfuneralhomes.com