Barbara J. Ward, 92, passed away peacefully on Oct. 23, 2019, after a brief illness. She was born May 10, 1927, in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Barbara grew up in New City, N.Y., married Averill Kenneth Ward, and had five children.
Barbara lived on Martha’s Vineyard for 44 years. She worked for nearly 20 years in the sporting goods section of Brickman’s in Vineyard Haven.
Barbara loved music of all kinds, and sang in the choir of several Island churches, including the Methodist church in Vineyard Haven. She and her friends were regulars at the Tabernacle sing-alongs in Oak Bluffs.
She loved the sea more than anything else, and felt she was fortunate to have spent so much of her life in a place where the sea was within a short drive of her apartment at Woodside Village.
Her family was, by far, her primary interest, and she was happy that she was able to be involved directly in their lives. Watching her family grow and having the grandchildren, then great-grandchildren to follow as they grew was pure joy to her.
There is not enough space here to write down the names of all of Barbara’s friends, but they were all held in high regard and loving affection in her huge heart that was always open and caring. To be sure, Barbara’s life was not absent of hardship, but few regrets were ever mentioned. Rather, she spent her life looking forward to tomorrow and the promise of a life everlasting.
She is survived by her sister Margaret Chmielnik of Carpentaria, Calif.; her brother Robert Tellefsen of Pearl River, N.Y.; sons Kenneth Ward of Appleton, Maine (who lived 42 years on Martha’s Vineyard), and Bill Ward of Sprakers, N.Y.; daughters Linda Perino of Valley Cottage, N.Y., Judith Holvig of Fonda, N.Y., and Barbara O’Dell of Milford, N.Y.; grandchildren Bill Brady, Colleen Brady Salisbury, Andrew Judge, Leland Ward, Ryan Ward, Jonathan Ward, Molly Conole Dutton, and Linda Conole Fandel; six great-grandchildren, Rachel Fandel, Amelia Dutton, Penelope Dutton, Holly Salisbury, Walter Ward, and Emmalee Post, and one great-great-grandson, Liam Phillips.
In years past, Barbara was a volunteer at the Island Food Pantry. In honor of Barbara, a donation in her name can be made to the Island Food Pantry, P.O. Box 1874, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.
Please join her family in a celebration of Barbara’s life at Woodside Village community room A from 3:30 to 5 pm on Sunday, Nov. 10.
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