Donald Ray Ward

Donald Ray Ward, age 91 of Louisville, Kentucky died peacefully on the evening of March 7, 2020 following a day surrounded by loving family. Don was born at his parents' home on October 9, 1928, in Springfield, Ohio, the first of four children of Alice Shultis Ward and Samuel Raymond Ward. He grew up in depression-era Springfield, where he graduated from Springfield High School and played saxophone in the marching band. He went on to Wittenberg College, where he ran track and was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He earned degrees in education and history in 1951. His post-graduate work included a Master's degree from Teachers College, Columbia University, as well as studies at The Ohio State University and Miami University.

Following a year in the Army during the Korean War period, Don began working as a high school history teacher, and later, head resident of a freshman men's dormitory at Miami University. At Miami he met Cynthia Houston, whom he married in 1956.
That same year, he began his business career with General Electric as a human resources manager, working for GE in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Youngstown and Louisville. He joined the Louisville Bedding Company in 1976, and retired in 1998. He also remained an educator, teaching university-level classes, most recently at Bellarmine University in Louisville.

He was also an active member of his community wherever he lived. In Louisville, Don was associated with the Kentucky Colonels and served on several community boards. These included Dare to Care, the Jeffersontown Chamber of Commerce, and the Kentucky affiliate of the American Heart Association. He was also active in prisoner outreach, as well as civil rights issues. One of his proudest contributions was finding employment and promotion opportunities for women and minorities. Don and Cindy moved from Cleveland to Louisville in 1971 with four young boys, two cats, one mouse and two oak seedlings. Don loved family camping and beach vacations, coaching and watching his sons play sports, and playing tennis and golf with friends. Don is preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Jacque Ward, and his brother-in-law, U. Timothy Juergens.

Don is survived by his wife of 63 years, Cynthia; two sisters, Jacquelyn Juergens and Suzanne (Lawrence) Roller; sister-in-law, Nancy Ward; four sons, Stephen (Cheryl), David (Susan), Scott (Elizabeth) and John; seven grandchildren, Griffin Ward, Samuel Ward, Houston Ward (Chaley Trail), Hannah Ward, Caroline Ward, Nicholas Ward and Henry Ward; one great-granddaughter, Camille Trail-Ward; and a host of relatives and friends.

Visitation will be Saturday, March 14, from 11 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with a ceremony to celebrate Don's life to follow at Springdale Presbyterian Church, 7812 Brownsboro Rd., Louisville, Kentucky, 40241. Burial will follow at Floydsburg Cemetery, 5600 Old Floydsburg Rd, Crestwood, KY 40014.

The family requests memorials be made by donations to Springdale Presbyterian Church for prison ministry programs.

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