John Ward

John Watson “Jack” Ward, 98, of Cobbs Creek, Virginia passed away on Saturday, October 29, 2022 at Riverside-Walter Reed Hospital, Gloucester, Virginia.

Jack was born on August 21, 1924. His parents were Joseph and Charlotte Ward. Graduating from Mathews High School at sixteen, Jack became the youngest manager of the Mathews A & P grocery store. He soon joined the Merchant Marines to begin his global career as a Master Mariner. In March of 1952, he married Frances Pierce, who traveled with him. Following his retirement from Maritime Overseas Corporation of New York, he returned to live full time in Mathews. Jack served two terms on the Mathews Board of Supervisors and joined the Friends of the Mathews Memorial Library. His civil organizations included the Mathews Lions Club, the Piankatank Ruritan Club, and the American Legion. He attended Central United Methodist Church.

Jack is survived by his wife of seventy years, Frances Pierce Ward; a daughter, Deborah Ward McKeon (Timothy); grandsons, John Pierce McKeon and William Keating McKeon (Kristen); step-great-granddaughters, Ruby and Isabella; brother-in-law, John Robert Pierce and sister-in-law, Mildred Smith Stillman and many nieces and nephews. Jack Ward lived in service to his family, church, and community.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at Central United Methodist Church, Mathews, Virginia with burial to follow in Windsor Gardens Cemetery & Mausoleum, Dutton, Virginia. A reception will be held at the church following the burial.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Central United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 297, Mathews, Virginia 23109, Mathews Memorial Library, P.O. Box 980, Mathews, Virginia 23109, Mathews Volunteer Rescue Squad, 94 Cricket Hill Road, Hudgins, Virginia 23076, and the Mathews Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 1130, Mathews, Virginia 23109.

Faulkner Funeral Homes, Foster-Faulkner Chapel, Mathews, Virginia is assisting the family.