Jo Ann Ward

Funeral services for Jo Ann Ward, 81, of Natchitoches will be conducted October 28, at 11 a.m. at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home with Rev. Doug DeGraffenried in Natchitoches with interment immediately following at Memory Lawn Cemetery. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 9-11 am. Jo Ann passed away October 25, 2011 at her home in Natchitoches after a long illness. She was born June 18, 1930 in Hope, Arkansas, and was a graduate of Hope High School, where she was active in band as a majorette. Her interest and involvement in music would play a significant role in meeting her future husband, F.B. Ward, whom she married August 21, 1949. During the early years of having a family, Jo Ann and F.B. lived in Prescott, Texarkana, and De Queen, Arkansas; Hooks and Atlanta, Texas; and Jonesboro and Natchitoches, Louisiana, where F.B. was a band director. Jo Ann worked for many years as Secretary-Treasurer for the Natchitoches Parish Police Jury, retiring in 1988. She was president in 1987-1988 of the Governmental Finance Officers Association of Louisiana. Jo Ann loved bridge her entire life. She enjoyed teaching others how to play bridge and, perhaps just as importantly, how to have a good time while doing it. She obtained her Life Masters in 1994. During her retirement years, she enjoyed camping and traveling with her husband and other RV friends around the country. Jo Ann enjoyed people. She never met a stranger. Music remained an important anchor point for her throughout her life. She loved lyrics and knew words to almost any song, even in the last year of her life with Alzheimer’s. Like her mother before her, Jo Ann was great at working crossword puzzles (the Sunday kind) and baking chocolate and lemon pies. In a word, Jo Ann was “fun”. She was preceded in death by her father and mother, Guy R. and Byrdie Jones Card of Hope, AR. Survivors include her husband of 62 years, F.B. Ward, two daughters, Barbara Ann McCoy and husband David of Coushatta, LA; Jana Lynn Mayeaux and husband Clay of Natchitoches; two sons, Mark Branham Ward and wife Melissa of Natchitoches, and Joel David Ward and wife Shawna of Shreveport, LA; , 8 grandchildren: Leslie Campbell, Kelly Mondello, Melanie Algermissen, Ashley Williams, Lacy Christophe, Kelsey Ward, Katie Vance, and Dave McCoy, and 8 great grandchildren. Pallbearers will be Scott Barnard, Mike Barnard, Doug Barnard, Josh Campbell, Dave McCoy, and Louis Anderson. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 2605 River Road, New Orleans, LA, 70121. The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to Jo Ann’s caretakers over the last 2 years: Margaret Williams, Alice Blake, Joann Hamilton and Cindy Garrett.