Lt Col Walter E. Ward, USAF (ret) Walter E. Ward, 88 years
old, passed away on Monday, May 26, 2008. He was a resident of
Austin, Texas. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Kay J. Ward
of Austin, Texas; two daughters, Patricia Todd of Layton, Utah and
Leslie K. Ward of Austin, Texas; two sons, Bradford E. Ward of
Tampa, Florida and Levi J. Ward of Austin Texas; his brother, Calvin
Ward of Corvallis, Oregon; three grandchildren; and six
great-grandchildren. Walter was born in the Garber oil fields at
Hayward, Oklahoma on September 28, 1919 to John L. and Cecil Ward.
He joined the US Army in 1936 at age 17 and was commissioned a
Second Lieutenant in the US Army Air Corps and earned his pilot
wings in 1943. He flew combat missions in the B-17 during World War
II in the European Theater, where he was shot down and served as a
Prisoner of War for the last nine months of the war. He received the
Purple Heart for wounds in combat. Walter completed a 28-year career
in the United States Air Force in November 1964 as a Lieutenant
Colonel and a Command Pilot. Upon leaving the Air Force, he moved to
Austin, Texas and was employed by the State of Texas, retiring after
18 years. Walter was a caring and loving father, son, brother and
husband. Walt was also very personable and never met a stranger. If
you met "the Colonel," you'd remember him fondly. He'll be greatly
missed. A memorial service will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday,
May 31, 2008 at Cook-Walden Chapel of the Hills, 9700 Anderson Mills
Road, Austin, Texas 78750. A private graveside service with military
honors will be held at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San
Antonio at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, June, 2, 2008. In lieu of flowers,
please make a donation to Hospice Austin's Christopher House, 4107
Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 100, Austin, Texas 78759; phone
1-800-445-3261..
http://www.mem.com
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