Alan Sparks Ward

Alan Sparks Ward was born on January 1, 1931 in Wilmington, DE. He graduated from Alexis I. DuPont High School, where he won a scholarship to attend Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. At Wesleyan, he earned his A.B. in English and developed a lifelong love for the theater, taking the train into New York City for as many shows as he could fit into a weekend. He continued this theater tradition with his family throughout his life. He considered becoming an English teacher before deciding on the law, earning his J.D. from the University of Chicago in 1955. While a law student, he supported himself by bartending and driving a cab. He served in government as Law Clerk for U.S. District Judge Richard Rodney in Wilmington; Assistant Chief of the Special Litigation Section at the U.S. Department of Justice; and Director of the Bureau of Competition at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. In private practice, Alan was frequently involved in grand jury and other criminal and civil proceedings, and his trial work included representing clients charged with a variety of crimes in the 1968 riots. He joined Baker & Hostetler, LLC as a partner in the 1970s, practicing antitrust law until he retired in 2001, after which he continued to work as a consultant and lecturer, staying on top of the legal issues of the day. He loved the law and the opportunities it gave him to connect with people in so many vocations. He particularly enjoyed defending his Alma Mater Wesleyan in antitrust litigation. His breadth of knowledge and strong ethics earned him praise from all who had the pleasure of working with him. He was the author of publications on antitrust, a sought after speaker at Bar Association events, and in 2000-2001, served as president of the Soap and Detergent Association.
Alan met Mariette Schneider at a party in Georgetown and they married in Washington DC in 1959. The couple lived briefly in New York City and Summit, NJ before settling in Chevy Chase, MD in the mid-1960s. Alan enjoyed competing in squash, tennis, and golf, developing a powerful swing he used to chase bats from the house more than once. He delighted in reading literature, history, and about current events, and passed along his love of books to his children and grandchildren. He loved to travel and visited family wherever they lived - from Chicago to Tunis to Taipei; he flew on the Concord but loved train travel most of all.
Alan first came to the shores of Lake Michigan with Mariette, to her childhood summer community that he grew to love more than any other place. They were married for 55 years when Mariette died in 2014. Since then, Alan spent as much time as possible at their cottage on the lake, enjoying family gatherings, bridge at local community centers, services at the little stone church, and the beauty of the wooded dune landscape. His last days were full of friends, family, and faith along the beloved shore, where he passed away on September 23, 2024.
Mr. Ward is survived by a brother James R. Ward of Newark, DE and his children Katy Koch (Matt), Guy (Inhe Choi), and Callie; and grandchildren Robert Alan Koch, Hyunji Mariette Choi Ward, and Hyunwoo Alan Choi Ward. Family and friends are welcome to a reception celebrating his life on October 23, 2024 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase, MD. A service and burial will be held in summer 2025 in Shelby, MI. Donations in his name can be made to the Memorial Nature Preserve, Attn: Marilyn Johnson, Treasurer, 1366 Old Oak Hill Drive, Ada, MI 49301.