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John Ward Obituary
John Arthur "Jay" Ward, III, 85, passed away peacefully on March 21, 2025, in Barrington, Illinois, surrounded by family.
Born in Riverside, Illinois on February 4, 1940, to Charlotte Noble Ward and John A. Ward, Jr., Jay married Elizabeth Howe ("Betsy") on September 7, 1963, and celebrated 61 years of marriage in September 2024. Jay and Betsy settled in Barrington Hills, Illinois, and raised three children, Brooke, John, and Michael.
Jay was preceded in death by his son, John Arthur Ward, IV. Jay is survived by his wife, Betsy; his sister, Linda Fiske (Gary); his daughter, Brooke Raymond (Patrick); and his son, Michael (Erica); and five grandchildren, Eliot, Owen, Grace, Michael "MJ," and John "Jack."
Memorial services will be held at St. Michael's Episcopal Church, Barrington, Illinois, at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 26th, and on July 5th, on Washington Island, Wisconsin, at a time and place to be announced.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Trueblood Performing Arts Center on Washington Island, or to the Amherst Fund at Amherst College.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
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3 Entries
Graham Jackson
April 24, 2025
I knew and worked with Jay when we both served on the Board of Cathedral Shelter - now Revive. At the time, Cathedral Shelter was constructing Cressey House and there were lots of problems with the construction. Jay, as Chairman, with his calm and insightful demeanor, lead us through these difficult challenges, all of which were eventually resolved. Honestly, I don´t believe Cressey House would have been completed without Jay´s dedication and leadership. Quite an inspiring and dedicated man.
Jeff Burger
April 2, 2025
I started working for Jay in May of 1979 and worked with him for approximately 25 years. I could not have asked for a better mentor. He pushed me to be the best lawyer I could be, and I owe any success that I have achieved in the legal profession to him. I have worked with many lawyers from around the country and I have tried many cases before many different judges, and I can say without hesitation that Jay was the smartest and best lawyer that I have ever met. With all that hard work and dedication to his profession, his family always came first, and he had a life well lived. I will miss him.
Carol Hagan
March 25, 2025
Jay was a loving, caring husband to Betsy, and father to their children. I am proud to have gotten to know him long ago, and benefited from his friendship and wisdom over many years whenever our lives intersected. He and Betsy introduce my family to Washington Island 56 years ago. I will miss his welcoming smile and compassion.
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