Samuel Allen (Len) Ward III

Samuel Allen Ward III, known as Len to his family and as Len N. Wallace in his creative work, passed away suddenly on January 11, 2026, in Louisville, Kentucky, from complications of his congenital heart defect.
Len was a gifted storyteller, celebrated for his work on the graphic novel “Love Buzz,” the “Zipper Club” series for children with congenital heart defects, his contributions to “Hope: New Orleans,” and Kung Fu Panda comics. He was also deeply involved with Camp Braveheart and its amazing campers, where his experiences inspired the “Zipper Club” series. At the time of his passing, he was also working on a new graphic novel titled “Half Way Home,” which is set in Louisville. He had numerous other creative collaborations, too numerous to mention.
Len was deeply committed to advocacy, championing healthcare issues such as NIH funding and the Affordable Care Act in Kentucky, D.C., and Connecticut. Despite challenges with the healthcare insurance access system, his resilience and compassion were evident in everything he did.
Len is survived by his mother, Betsy Foster; his brother, Alex Ward; his sister-in-law, Mattie DeAngelis; his fiancée, Samantha Carter, and her daughter, Bonnie Carter, whom he loved dearly; and his godchild, Len Skees, whom he adored. He is also survived by his aunt, Kathryn White, and her husband, William White, and his uncles, Warren and Kenn Ward. Additionally, he is survived by his cousins Andrea Williams, Cheryl Shannon, Tre’ Foster, Deidre Cox, Helen Anne Hallenbeck, Will Moore, Rebecca Tong, Winston Foster, Dacin White, Madison Moore, Hillary Pennington, Bill White, Christy Justice, Chris Foster, Alexandra Howell., Katie Moses, Jacob Ward, Ian Ward, and Stuart Ward. He was preceded in death by his father, Allen Ward; his loving maternal grandparents, Ed and Norma Foster; and his paternal grandparents, Sam and Virginia Ward of Macon, Georgia; as well as his aunt, Helen Pate; his uncle, David Foster; and his cousins, Richard Foster and Jo Hutson.
He is also survived by an amazing group of friends from his writing community across the country, Camp Braveheart Community, and countless friends from all walks of life, whose support and friendship enriched his journey and whom he cherished deeply.
A service will be held on Saturday, January 31st, at 1 o’clock, at All Peoples Unitarian Universalist Church, 4936 Brownsboro Road, Louisville, Kentucky.
Len loved vibrant colors, so in celebration of his spirit, we encourage attendees to wear bright, colorful clothing instead of traditional black attire. The family is requesting no flowers for the service. Let your presence be the only flowers needed.
In lieu of flowers to support patient financial assistance in Len's memory, please direct donations to the Norton Children's Hospital Foundation at HelpNortonChildrens.com/donate/. Please be sure to indicate that this is being done in Len Ward's memory. There is also a fund set up to assist with final expenses for the family https://gofund.me/303bb9df5.
The family would love to see you at this very special service to celebrate Len’s life, but for those who are unable to attend, the service will be live-streamed at https://zoom.us/j/97980529572