William "Tom" Ward 1934 - 2016

WARD, KRAGE

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 5/11/2016 at 22:57:53

Sioux City Journal
8 May 2016

SIOUX CITY | William "Tom" Ward, 81, of Sequim, Wash., formerly of Sioux City, died Saturday, April 30, 2016, at his residence.

Services were held May 4 in Sequim. A Mass in his memory and burial will be held in July in Sioux City. The family will announce the date of this celebration once it has been finalized.

William "Tom" Ward was born on Aug. 28, 1934, in Kansas City, Mo., the son of Al and Wilma Ward. He was raised in Sioux City and graduated from East High School in 1953. He attended the University of South Dakota.

On Oct. 13, 1956, he married Blanche Krage in Sioux City. He lived most of his life in Sioux City, Yankton, S.D., Sioux Falls, S.D. and finally retiring in Sequim. He was a cattle buyer in his younger years and then was a commodity broker. He loved sailing on Lewis and Clark Lake in Yankton, doing crossword puzzles and listening to jazz music.

He is survived by eight children, Edward and Annette Ward of Federal Way, Wash., Mark Ward of Scottsdale, Ariz., Brian Ward of Yosemite, Calif., Laura and Jerry Buckstead of Sioux City, Ron Ward of Dunsmuir, Calif., Lucy and Greg Goebel of Custer, S.D., Curran and Kurt Gerstner of Austin, Texas, and Alan and Carolyn Ward of Asheville, N.C.; a son-in-law, Mike Benda of Yankton; 18 grandchildren, Alicia, Mark, Megan, Ryan, Nicole, Stephanie, Joseph, Ian, Bryce, Liam, Reed, Kailey, Tia, Mesa, Gabrielle, Camille, Curtis, and Virginia; three great-grandchildren, Nash, and Emery Downing and Olivia Ward; one brother, Jim Ward of Sioux City; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Blanche; beloved daughter, Blanche "Bea" Benda; and his parents, Al and Wilma Ward.

Memorials may be directed to the Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools for tuition assistance.