Samuel Joseph "Joe" Ward

Samuel Joseph "Joe" Ward - MIDLOTHIAN, VA - Samuel Joseph "Joe" Ward, 82, of Midlothian, Virginia, and retired Vice President of Signet Banking Corporation, passed away peacefully after an extended illness on March 9, 2010. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Sue McDuffee Ward and his six sons (and their wives); Sam (and Bonnie) of Richmond, Va.; Kurt (and Diane) of Whitehall, Montana; Dana (and Martha) of Orlando, Fla.; and Jim, Bob (and Tracy) and Glenn (and Anita) all of Richmond, Va. He is also survived by two sisters, Elizabeth Becker and Ann Garner (and Jerry) of St. Petersburg, Fla.; and his ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Joe is a native of Savannah, Ga. and graduated from Armstrong College and Georgia Tech. He served his country with honor in the Air Force during the Korean War and continued his service in the Air Force Reserve where he retired as a Colonel in 1981. He held various executive positions in Savannah and Atlanta prior to moving to Richmond and joining Bank of Virginia/Signet Banking Corporation in charge of Public Relations and Community Affairs in 1972. He held those positions until his retirement in 1993. During his career he was recognized as an outstanding professional in his field and was highly regarded by his peers and fellow bankers. Joe was active in many organizations and helped raise millions of dollars for science, arts and religious groups plus numerous charity, education, civic, history, environmental and medical projects. Over the years Joe held various board and committee positions with Georgia Tech Alumni Association, Richmond Math and Science Center, Greater Richmond Chapter of the American Red Cross, Management Round Table, Virginia Banker's Association, Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Presbyterian School of Christian Education, Salisbury Presbyterian Church, Richmond Metro Chamber, United Way, GRTC and the Urban League of Richmond where he was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award. He also received numerous awards including those from the Virginia Department on Aging, Leadership Metro Richmond, Boy Scouts of America, Georgia Tech, Virginia Council on Economic Education and the American Red Cross. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Huguenot Chapel of Woody Funeral Home, 1020 Huguenot Road. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Friday at Salisbury Presbyterian Church. Interment will follow at 1:30 p.m. at Greenwood Memorial Gardens. Contributions may be made to Georgia Tech Scholarship Fund; Attn: Joe Ward Scholarship Fund; 760 Spring Street; Suite 700, Atlanta, Georgia 30307 or Salisbury Presbyterian Church Foundation; 13621 Salisbury Road ; Midlothian, Va. 23113; (804-794-5311) or Union Theological Seminary/PSCE Scholarship Fund, 3401 Brook Road, Richmond, Va. 23227; (804-355-0671). Woody Funeral Home 804-794-1000 Savannah Morning News March 11, 2010 Please sign our Obituary Guest Book at savannahnow.com/obituaries .