Mr Kenneth G Ward

Kenneth Ward, 78, husband, father, merchant, historian, of Westfield, passed away peacefully at home on August 7th after a 16 month battle with brain cancer. Ken was a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University in 1964, and earned the rank of Captain in the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations. In 1966, he married Margaret McAllister of the same college class, and in 1975, the couple and their two children, Bill and Jane, moved to Westfield. Ken had a successful career for more than 2 decades as an executive at National Utilities Industries, Inc. (Elizabethtown Gas Company) and was dedicated to serving the community his entire life. Combining his love of teaching, storytelling and his vast knowledge of history, he loved his work as president and lecturer of the Elizabeth Historical Society. He was also active with the Sons of the American Revolution, the non-profit Elizabeth Development Corp, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America, and served in many capacities at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Westfield, including Warden. For more than 35 years, Ken and Margaret ran a successful merchant business that was handed down to them and will continue to the next generation. Ken's beloved wife Margaret passed away in 2018. He is survived by his son Bill and wife Amber of New York City, and daughter Jane and her husband John of Knoxville, TN; his sister Alison of Quadra Island, British Columbia, and brother Tom of Edmonton, Alberta; and four grandchildren, Evelyn, Beckett, Eleanor, and Lena. Services will be at 2pm Saturday September 18, 2021 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 414 E. Broad Street, Westfield. Burial will follow in the Garth of St. Paul's, with reception thereafter. Memorial contributions may be made to Friends of Music at St. Paul's Episcopal Church at https://stpaulswestfield.org/give/. Arrangements are Gray Funeral Home, Westfield. Please go to: www.grayfuneralhomes.com to offer condolences.