Deanna Ward (Image via Flickr Creative Commons / hanspoldoja)
Deanna Ward, 70, died Monday, May 20, 2013 when tornadoes struck Oklahoma City.
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Ward was described by her daughter, Shelly Irvin, as the "best mom in the world."
She died in Monday's storm in the closet of her home about a block from Plaza Elementary School while holding hands with her son.
Her son survived.
Ward was a retired nurse and was frail, and Irvin told The Okla homan her son did not have enough time to get their mother into a car and leave the area.
"My brother and I have been through a lot of struggles and she never gave up on us. She was always there," Irvin told the newspaper.
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