Roger Ward

1954 - 2023

Roger Ward
September 2, 1954 - August 5, 2023
Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas - Dr. Roger Barry Ward, 68, passed away on Aug. 5, 2023, following a brief illness. He was in the company of his sister, Melinda, and brother-in-law, Mitch.
Roger was born on Sept. 2, 1954, to Curtis K. Ward and Mary L. Ward in Wichita, KS. Roger was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Warren Ward. He is survived by Melinda and Mitch Adwon; nephew Mitchell Adwon (Kaitlin) and sons Julian and Emmett; niece Amanda Adwon Bryant (Luke) and daughters Hallie and Rory; and niece Haley Ward and daughter Evelyn Phiffer.
Roger was a bright and inquisitive child who excelled in school. He was an accomplished piano and cello player by the time he began middle school. He read and spoke Spanish, French and Latin at a young age. In college he studied Italian, German and Dutch. Anyone lucky to travel to Europe with him had a dream tour guide, and he was often mistaken for a native Italian when he traveled there.
Roger spent several summers during college working as a technical typist in the research lab at Texas Instruments. This job taught him how important details were, as well as patience and precision. It also helped him hone his writing skills and established a basis for his writing and detailed academic research.
Roger graduated from the University of Kansas in 1976 with a double major in Renaissance history and the history of art. He graduated number one in his class at KU and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In 1976 he was the recipient of a Marshall Scholarship for advanced study in Great Britain. He continued his education at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, receiving his M.A. and Ph.D. in 16th century Italian and Spanish art in 1982.
Roger began his career at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City in 1982, serving as the curator of European art until 2001. From 2001 to 2011 he was chief curator and later deputy director of the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, FL. Following this position, Roger worked as a consultant to the Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach and as an adviser to the Department of Homeland Security on the restitution of art confiscated in Europe by the Nazis during World War II. He served as chief curator and deputy director of the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson, and later as president and CEO of the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens in West Palm Beach.
Roger was considered the world's leading authority on the drawings of the Italian Renaissance artist Baccio Bandinelli. He was proud to serve as the guest curator of an exhibit of Bandinelli's works at the Museo del Bargello in Florence, Italy, in 2014. Roger lectured widely, from the National Gallery of Australia, to the National Gallery in London, to the Frick Collection in New York City, to the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Roger authored numerous books, catalogues and periodicals during his professional life. He served as an adviser to and was on the Editorial Board of the World Book Encyclopedia. He was a member of the faculties of both University College London and the University of Kansas, and was a guest lecturer at universities and museums around the world.
Roger was a beloved uncle and brother. He was the person everyone wanted at their table at family gatherings and social events. He was the keeper of family history and loved telling his nephew and nieces stories that they will always cherish.
Upon his retirement to the Kansas City area, Roger could often be found in the library and archives at the Nelson-Atkins Museum, sharing stories and donating books. His charm and wit will be missed by all who knew him. A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 29, at the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City. Donations in Roger's memory can be made to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Spencer Art Reference Library, 4525 Oak St. Kansas City, MO 64111.