Donald F. Ward

09/23/1923 - 04/27/2011

WARD, Donald F.
(Age 87)

Beloved Husband, Dad, Grandpa, Great Grandfather, Father figure, Sibling and Friend went to be with his Lord and Savior the morning of April 27, 2011.

Born on a farm in Lacey, Oklahoma to Harry and Florence Ward on September 23, 1923. Don was an All American athlete and scholar in high school. He continued at the University of Oklahoma on a football scholarship where he excelled. In 1941, he was one of the first volunteers to join the Army Air Corps, where as a lieutenant he learned in-flight training, advancing to an instructor of B24s in the Aleutian Islands. In 1942, while on leave, Don married the love of his life, Erma in Nampa, Idaho.

After retiring from the Army Air Corps, Don and Erma, with their two sons, Donnie and Steve moved to the great State of Idaho to pursue his dream of gold and silver mining. They lived in Atlanta and Cobalt, Idaho where he and his sons enjoyed the great outdoors with fishing and hunting. In 1957, they adopted their daughter, Sharon from Korea. The family moved to Kellogg where Don worked in Bunker Hill as a miner. Also in Kellogg, Don began training as an insurance salesman which moved the family to Coeur d' Alene and finally to Spokane in 1968 for his remaining years, retiring as a realtor/broker.

Don is preceded in death by his oldest son, Donald L. Ward, who also battled prostate cancer the previous year; and by a grandson, Donald Francis Ward, II from Mississippi. Don is survived by his wife-Erma; son-Steve Ward (Bonnie) from Kalispell; Montana, daughter-Sharon Stephens (Robert) in Spokane; and daughter-in-law-Pat Ward from Laurel, Mississippi; four grandsons, one granddaughter, several great-grandchildren and several stepgrandchildren and great- grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 30, 2011 at the South Hill Bible Church (29th & Arthur) at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to the American Cancer Society or the charity of your choice in his honor.