Charles Thomas Ward, Sr., 73, of Donalsonville, Ga., passed away Friday, Aug. 1, 2014 at his residence.
The funeral service was held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2014 at Ivey Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Paul Medley officiating. Interment followed at Oak City Cemetery with Gary Brinson, Hill Yates, John Day, Travis Greene, Jamie Lane Chambliss, Jody Grollman, Joe Putnal, Gary Putnal, Mike Putnal, Pasco “Buddy” Parker, Tim Griffin, Aaron Michael Chambliss and Randy Lee Gilbert serving as active pallbearers.
Online visitors may sign the guest register at www.iveyfuneral.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, 2900 Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607.
Mr. Ward was born April 9, 1941 in Bainbridge, the son of Fred Harvey Ward, Sr. and Sarah Louise Johnson Ward. He was a graduate of Bainbridge High School. Mr. Ward retired from the United States Navy after serving in Yokosua, Japan and four tours in the Vietnam War. After retiring from the Navy, Mr. Ward worked at SWGA Oil for 12 years, did maintenance and security work at Bainbridge State Hospital, and maintenance work for MacKenzie Trucking Company. He was a Lifetime Member of VFW Post # 4904 in which he served as commander from 1988 to 1991. Mr. Ward was a member of Orion Lodge #8 F& AM, Bainbridge chapter #94 Royal Arch Masons, Bainbridge Crusader Commander #17, Bainbridge Shrine Club, and the Hasan Shrine Temple in Albany, GA. He was a charter member of the Veterans of the Vietnam War Post #5 in Bainbridge and a member of the American Legion Post #62 in Bainbridge. It was always important to Mr. Ward for Americans to remember those that had served the country by making sure that graves were marked and by reading names of those at the Veteran’s Day Remembrance Service at Willis Park.
Survivors include his children, Charles T. Ward, Jr. of Seminole County, Ga. and Sherri Wells Harrell of Cairo; the mother of his children, Lila Jean Dykes Ward of Cairo; his siblings, Sarah W. Duce of Austin, Texas, Jessie W. Parker of Spring Hill, Tenn., and Carolyn W. Phillips of Bainbridge; his granddaughters, Bonnie Adele of North Carolina and Evy Harrell, of Cairo; and his 3 three great-grandchildren. Ivey Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.