John M. Ward, Sr.

December 3, 2016

John M. “Johnny” Ward, 83, of Bainbridge, Ga., passed away Saturday, December 3, 2016.

The funeral service was held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, December 6, 2016, at Ivey Funeral Home Chapel.  Interment followed at Roselawn Memory Gardens with Hunter Calhoun, Jack Ward, Jeff Ward, Jim Ward, Wade Waff and Ward Waff serving as active pallbearers. Zack Calhoun, Curtis Wacaser, JR Brock, Jody Hughes, Joel Hughes, Jimmy Fowler and Bobby Cook will serve as honorary pallbearers.

The family received friends from 6 to 7 p.m. on Monday, December 5, 2016, at Ivey Funeral Home. Online visitors may sign the guest register at www.iveyfuneral.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Fellowship Baptist Church Children’s Ministry, 2861 Spring Creek Road, Brinson, GA 39825 or Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011.

John Marvin Ward was born December 28, 1932, in Miami, Fla., the son of Bishop Marvin Ward and Evelyn Elizabeth Hancock Ward. He was a graduate of Edison High School in Miami. Johnny moved to Decatur County in 1955 and married the love of his life, Laurita Walker Ward, in 1959. Johnny proudly served his country in the United States Navy. He retired in 2010 from Stone’s in Bainbridge.

Johnny loved people. He served in many capacities from being in the Bainbridge Jaycees, a member of Bainbridge Bass Club, and on the civil defense rescue team to cooking anything good for anyone who wanted to eat. He enjoyed camping, fishing and cooking so it comes as no surprise that frying fish, especially suckers, was a specialty. Johnny will be remembered by many for serving up the best seafood in Decatur County at his restaurant, Johnny’s Seafood.

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Laurita W. Ward of Bainbridge; his children, John M. Ward, Jr., “Little Johnny”, of Jacksonville, Fla., Michael Todd Ward and his wife, Faithe, of Star, Miss., Bradley T. Ward and his wife, Christy, of Bainbridge, and Sandi Ward also of Bainbridge; his grandchildren, Crystal, Ty, Gracen, Trae, Michaela, Mallory, Malena and Ridge; and his siblings, Pat Ward and her husband, Marl, of Tallahassee, Linda Giddens and her husband, Jimmy, of Valdosta, Donna Newman and her husband, Frank, of Woodville, Fla., and Thomas Ward of Dallas, Texas. Johnny was preceded in death by his parents.