Alden Ward

Alden Ward GRUNDY, Va. Alden Ward,80 years of age, passed away on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010, at the Buchanan General Hospital following an extended illness. He was a devoted Christian who loved serving the Lord and helping others. Alden was a coal miner and a member of UMWA Local Union No. 1374. He was a carpenter, plumber, masonry, electrician, gardener and sportsman who enjoyed spending time in the outdoors within the beauty of the world that God created. Alden was a loving husband, father and grandfather who so treasured spending time with his family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Irvin and Adnia Stacy Ward; two children, Swanson Donald Ward and Stanley Gary Ward; three brothers, Waldo, Cleon and Victor Ward; one sister, Ellen Ward Keen. Alden is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 63 years, Elsie Mae Keen Ward, Grundy; one daughter,Joyce and husband Tom Neff, Newport News, Va.; two sons, Calvin Ward, Grundy, Ertley "Eardie" and wife Veronica Ward, Oakwood, Va.; one daughter-in-law, Janice Ward and husband Jay Rife, Grundy; two sisters, Kathleen Keen, Grundy, Jantine Hill, Tennessee; three brothers, Avon Ward, Tazewell, Va., Danny Ward, Texas, Earl Ward, Grundy; seven grandchildren, Kaye Rife, Jacksonville, Fla., Anita Hossfeld, Atlanta, Angelia and husband Greg McClanahan, Grundy, Celeste Ward, Oakwood, Miranda Ward, Grundy, Jared Campbell, Grundy, John and wife Lariza Rife, Richmond, Va. Also, survived by seven great-grandchildren, Tanner Baldwin, Ethan McClanahan, Lindsey Hossfeld, Lauren Hossfeld, Victoria Rife, Ainsley Rife and Sydney Rife; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services for Alden Ward will be conducted Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2010, at noon at the Grundy Funeral Home Chapel with Ministers Ancil Childress, Mike Ashby, J.D. Keene and Hobert Kennedy officiating and honorary ministers Donald Tittle and Carl Sensabaugh, with burial to follow in Mountain Valley Memorial Park, Big Rock, Va. Friends may call at the Grundy Funeral Home Chapel Monday evening at 6 p.m., with services at 7 p.m. Active pallbearers will be Tim Herring, Greg McClanahan, John Rife, Junior Sweet, Brannon Mullins, Tanner Baldwin and Jared Campbell. Honorary pallbearers will be Jay Rife, Ed Osborne, R.D. Rife, Paul Turner, Cleve Blankenship, Buford Keen, Dr. J.G. Patel, staff of Buchanan General Hospital ICU and Amedisys Home Health. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.grundyfuneralhome.com Grundy Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.