Obituary published on Legacy.com by Beinhauer-Connell Funeral Services on Oct. 24, 2025.
The spirit of the beloved Lindley Ann "Lynn" Ward, 87, of
Bethel Park, PA soared to its deserved reward early Thursday morning, October 23, 2025, from the Grand Residence Assisted Living in Upper St Clair, PA. Lynn, a New Year's Eve baby, was born in
Pittsburgh, PA on the 31st of December in 1937 to James L. Bennett and Mary (Lutz) Bennett. Lynn's parents, along with her penultimate son, Jeff and everybody's favorite aunt Thelma "Semi" Lutz predecease her. Lynn spent her formative years in cities where her father's employment obligations led the family. She graduated from Aspinwall High School before enrolling in the Duquesne School of Nursing from which she graduated in 1959. It was at Duquesne that she met a young lad named Tom Ward from Chillicothe, Ohio. The two would marry during the summer of 1960 (the year Maz hit the home run) and take up residence in Haverford, PA. While Tom finished law school at Villanova University, Lynn worked as a nurse at Bryn Mawr Hospital. Her nursing career ended upon the arrival of their first child, Christine, who now lives with her husband Pete Lester in Sykesville, Maryland. In addition to Chris, Lynn is survived by daughter and principal caregiver, Janice Ward (
Bethel Park, PA); eldest son Tom Ward (Oklahoma City, OK); son Jim and wife Milene (Moon Township, PA) and youngest son Matthew Ward (Canonsburg, PA). Lynn's grandchildren include Pete Lester Jr., Rush Lester, Katelyn Lester, Max Ward and Marina Ward. Her great-grandchildren include Harper Lester, Hudson Lester and Fox Lester. Lynn enjoyed her bridge club gatherings; the occasional bingo; "over-the-fence" conversations with neighbors and spending hours in her garden defending encroaching weeds and outwitting the uninvited pests. She looked forward to annual trips each winter to "somewhere warm" with her friends the Hickeys, special travels with her husband Tom to England and Germany, as well as an extensive visit to Ireland with her friends the Stewarts. However, her life revolved around family: dinner visits almost every Sunday with her mother, Mary and Aunt Semi; Sunday Mass; and the kids (always the kids). They loved and laughed together. Family always came first with Lynn and she with them. A mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Catherine Labouré Parish, St. Louise de Marillac Church on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at 10:00 am. Interment will be private focusing on family, as Lynn would have wished. In lieu of flowers and for special remembrance, the family suggests donations to Reach Out and Read, Boston, MA (https://reachoutandread.org/) and
The Parkinson's Foundation, New York, NY (https://www.parkinson.org/). To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lindley Ann "Lynn" Ward, please visit our floral store.