Mary was born to Velma T. and Homer Q. Ritchie. She married James Griffin "J.G." Ward of Carrollton, Ala., on March 13, 1948. In 1949 she graduated from the University of Alabama with a B.A. degree in English literature. Mary and J.G. have been members of Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Houston since 1972. Mary enjoyed a great love of travel and reading/journalism. However, of all her many destinations, her fondest joy was returning "home" to Vossburg and her favorite swimming hole, a grist mill lake she called "Trudy's Pond." It was there that she took her four children every summer and taught each to swim, creating many family memories. She would also express that her most special role in life was being J.G's wife and mother to her children. After retiring, Mary and J.G. moved to Fairfield Glade, Tenn., where they lived happily for five years until J.G.'s death in 2005. Mary then moved to Fort Worth, where she lived with her daughter, Shelley. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and son-in-law, Dr. Arthur L. Peiffer. The family wishes to express sincerest gratitude to all of the caregivers of Community Hospice of Texas and especially Ms. Tammy Robinson and Ms. Beverly Atwood. Survivors: Aunt, Mary Sue; uncle, Pat W. Lester, cousins, Tom W. Lester and Michael T. Lester, both of Laurel and Hattiesburg, Miss.; son, Steven and daughter-in-law, Rhonda, of Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia; daughter, Shelley Peiffer of Fort Worth and Gunnison, Colo.; daughter, Marianne and son-in-law, Robert Haas, and their children, Matthew and Andrew of Fort Worth; son, Scott and daughter-in-law, Kelli, of Bloomington, Ill.; two nieces; five stepgrandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and many loving friends.
Mary was born to Velma T. and Homer Q. Ritchie. She married James Griffin "J.G." Ward of Carrollton, Ala., on March 13, 1948. In 1949 she graduated from the University of Alabama with a B.A. degree in English literature. Mary and J.G. have been members of Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Houston since 1972. Mary enjoyed a great love of travel and reading/journalism. However, of all her many destinations, her fondest joy was returning "home" to Vossburg and her favorite swimming hole, a grist mill lake she called "Trudy's Pond." It was there that she took her four children every summer and taught each to swim, creating many family memories. She would also express that her most special role in life was being J.G's wife and mother to her children. After retiring, Mary and J.G. moved to Fairfield Glade, Tenn., where they lived happily for five years until J.G.'s death in 2005. Mary then moved to Fort Worth, where she lived with her daughter, Shelley. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and son-in-law, Dr. Arthur L. Peiffer. The family wishes to express sincerest gratitude to all of the caregivers of Community Hospice of Texas and especially Ms. Tammy Robinson and Ms. Beverly Atwood. Survivors: Aunt, Mary Sue; uncle, Pat W. Lester, cousins, Tom W. Lester and Michael T. Lester, both of Laurel and Hattiesburg, Miss.; son, Steven and daughter-in-law, Rhonda, of Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia; daughter, Shelley Peiffer of Fort Worth and Gunnison, Colo.; daughter, Marianne and son-in-law, Robert Haas, and their children, Matthew and Andrew of Fort Worth; son, Scott and daughter-in-law, Kelli, of Bloomington, Ill.; two nieces; five stepgrandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and many loving friends.
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