Allyn R. Ward Sr.

Guilford, Abbot, and Greenville - Allyn Richard Ward, Sr., born in Greenville to the late Leo Delmont and Priscilla Ells Ward on September 19, 1936, died peacefully at his son's home in Masardis on June 22, 2023.
Allyn was a graduate of Greenville High School and attended the University of Maine in Farmington where he earned his Bachelor's degree in education. It was while going to school in Farmington that he met his first love, Jane Fern Nelson. Upon his graduation, they married and soon had two sons, Allyn R. Ward, Jr. and Thomas D. Ward.
While both working and raising his family, he continued his education to complete both his Master's as well as his Certificate of Advanced Studies. His first teaching assignment was in Gardiner, ME, followed soon after with a move to Aroostook county. It was there that he took on a teaching post with the Mapleton school system, serving as their elementary school principal. In 1965, Allyn moved his young family to Guilford where he served as the Guilford Middle School principal until his retirement after serving for 33 years in education. Having worked summers in a wide variety of construction jobs, upon retirement Allyn undertook a second career with Haley Construction where he worked for 10 more years.
In addition to a demanding career in education, Allyn found time to serve his community. He served as a selectman for the town of Guilford, served on the town's sewer board of directors, and was a lifelong member of Columbia-Doric #149 Masonic Lodge in Greenville, which his grandfather had built. He and Jane were fortunate to spend their summers at their beloved Wilson Pond camp in Greenville until her passing in July of 2006.
It is always special to find love once in life, but Allyn was lucky to find it twice. In 2011, he became engaged to Barbara Trafton. He and Barbara divided their time between Abbot, Wilson Pond, and Brooksville, FL, enjoying time with friends and family. He dearly loved children, and spending time with grandchildren and great-grandchildren was important to him until his last days.
Allyn is survived by his fiancée, Barbara and her family; his sons and their wives, Allyn and Kathryn Ward, Pueblo West, CO, and Thomas and Shari Ward, Masardis, ME; his grandchildren, Sarah Falch (Matthew), MO, Ethan Allyn Ward (Taylor), CO, Peter Ward, CO, Isaac Ward (Amy), Caleb Ward (Amanda), and Amos Ward (Nicole), all of Maine. He is also survived by four great-grandchildren, Elinor Jane and Theodore Falch, and Avery and Nolan Ward. He was pre-deceased by his parents, his wife, Jane, and grandson, Zachary Thomas Ward.
A time of visitation for Allyn will be held on Tuesday, July 25th from 1:00 – 2:00 PM at the Lary Funeral Home chapel in Greenville with Masonic services conducted by the Columbia-Doric Masonic Lodge #149 beginning at 2:00 PM. Interment at the Greenville Cemetery will immediately follow services. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to remember Allyn may consider a donation to Masons Assisting Communities. Please send to; Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation, PO Box 430, 1007 Main Rd., Holden, ME 04429. Or donate online at masoniccharitablefoundation.org and indicate "In memory of Allyn R. Ward, Sr."
Arrangements by Lary Funeral Home, Dover-Foxcroft and Bowers Funeral Home, Presque Isle.