Harold Fabian Ward

Harold Fabian Ward, 88, died on Wednesday, August 26, 2015, at Wellington Parc. His journey on earth began on July 10, 1927 in Amarillo, Texas. After a brief time in El Paso, his parents, Ira James Ward and Beatrice Peak Ward moved to a farm in Mena, Arkansas where Harold lived until the Dust Bowl decimated the area. His family sold the farm and bought a vehicle they used to get back home to Kentucky. He was only 12 but he never forgot those days and wrote about them in a novel entitled The Lady Pines Rule the Valley for his children and grandchildren.

Harold graduated from Daviess County High School in 1945. His favorite high school memories were related to his time as a forward on the DCHS Boys' Basketball Team and he reminisced about the Panthers' trip to the State Tournament where he gained the nickname "Luke." His team was mentored by Ed Diddle and played against Wah Wah Jones.

He graduated from High school and went straight into the United States Navy where he was stationed on a destroyer in the Pacific Ocean during the end of World War II.

After he was honorably discharged, Harold married the love of his life, Edwina. Together, they raised their five children, founded Town and Country Welding (with Harold's brothers) and eventually Wards' Big 800. He retired as a counselor from the Kentucky Juvenile Justice Cabinet. Harold believed in the American Dream, that hard work and perseverance where hallmarks of a good life and that higher education was the pathway to prosperity.

He was a member of St Stephen Cathedral for over 55 years and was a Kentucky Colonel.

Harold is surely reunited with his beloved family who preceded him in death; his wife, Edwina Cheshire Ward; son, Scott Ward; grandson, John Harold Ward; son-in-law, Joseph Paul Castlen, II; and brothers, Bud Ward, Tony (Charles) Ward, and Wilsie Ward.

He leaves behind a family of which he was extremely proud. Survivors include his children, Larry Ward (Terri) of Owensboro, Paul Dennis Ward (Patty) of Maidens, VA, Nancy Castlen of Owensboro, and Sue Theissen (Tim) of Fort Wright; daughter-in-law, Jill Ward; grandchildren, Candance Castlen Brake (Nick), Chris Castlen (Stacy), Kelly Ward Wiseman (Chris), Ben Ward (Lori), Kerry Sue Hamilton (Mike), Michael Ward (Robyn), Meghan Ho (Martin), Paul Ward, Stewart Ward, Leslie Brown (Jay), Oliver Theissen, and Ashley Theissen (Ben Hergert); 17 great-grandchildren; siblings, Kathleen Wedding, Sam Ward (Marie), Barbara Jones, Betty Hamilton, Donnie Ward (Paula), Bob Ward (Helen) and Rita Ward; and a special friend, Bertha Wathen.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Stephen Cathedral. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. Friday at Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory and after 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Prayers will be said at 5 p.m. Friday. Burial will be in the Ellis Family Cemetery.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to KODA.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.glennfuneralhome.com.