Lois Marie Ward of Sheridan, Arkansas passed away Tuesday, June 11, 2013 at the age of 93. She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Georgia Clement Wood; her husband, Bill Arthur Ward; her son, Charles Ward; three older brothers, Otha, Dolton, and Lewis and an infant sister.

Mrs. Ward was born September 20, 1919 at a community called Gum Springs in Cleveland County where her father worked at a sawmill and her mother ran a boarding house. Her parents later bought a farm in Grapevine and built a three-bedroom house, which was a big house in those days. When Lois Marie was old enough to go to school she walked with her brothers 3 miles through the woods to a two-room schoolhouse. The schools consolidated in the 1930's and in 1931 they attended a new brick schoolhouse on Highway 35 across the highway from Grapevine Cemetery and they also had a school bus to ride.

Survivors are two granddaughters, Dana Ward of Pennsylvania and Gina Ward Barkovitch of New Jersey; one grandson, Matthew Ward of Tulsa, Oklahoma: five great grandchildren; Jason, Alex, Jake, Brock, and Mikalia; one nephew, Jerry Wood of Shreveport; three nieces, Linda Hunter of Texas, Jean Nixon of Star city and Joan Cowers of Pine Bluff , one sister-in-law, Katie Wood of Oklahoma and her daughter-in-law, Linda Ward of Grove, Oklahoma.

After Lois Marie finished school she married her husband of over 57 years, Arthur Ward, on May 8, 1937.
Mr. And Mrs. Arthur Ward and Charles moved to Sheridan in 1948 and started Charles to school. Mrs. Ward began working at McDonald's 5 & 10 Cent Store in Sheridan. The store sold to Chester and Don Meek and she worked there for a while. She then began working at Western Auto, working for Mr. Van Reid until he had a heart attack and had to hire a man to help with delivery. Mrs. Ward then worked at "OTASCO" until her retirement in 1975. She enjoyed going on trips with the "Golden Agers" and in her later years she enjoyed going to the Senior Citizens Center and playing games.

Lois Marie was a member of Lost Creek Missionary Baptist Church and the Faith Sunday School Class.

Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Monday, June 17, 2013 at Memorial Gardens Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Kenneth Click and Bro. Rick Etheridge officiating. Burial will follow at Clement Cemetery in Grapevine. Visitation will be prior to the service from 9:00 until service time.

Pallbearers are Matthew Ward, Wayne Nixon, Keith Clement, Robert Clement, Kermit Mangrum, Kenneth McCool, Dana Ward and Gina Barkovitch.