Daughter of Elijah and Mary Allen.
Married to Orin J. Ward on Feb. 17, 1907.
Mother of four children: George T., Archie O., Alta G. and Mary Joy.
Mary Catherine Ward was killed when she was struck by a car crossing the street.

THE COURIER TRIBUNE, Seneca, Kansas. Thursday, January 17, 1962. Page 1.
MRS. O. J. WARD
Mary Catherine, daughter of Elijah and Mary (Greer) Allen, was born November 29, 1870, at Rockport, Missouri, and died at the Seneca Hospital on January 12, 1952, in her seventy-third year. The Allen family came to Clear Creek township in Nemaha county in 1885. Later they moved to a farm east of Kelly and the children attended the Downey and Maple Shade schools. Only a brother and sister, Acie G. Allen of Shreveport, Louisiana and Lillie Meeker, Independence, Kansas, remain, of thirteen children. Just a week before, her youngest brother, Archie B. Allen of Waverly, Kansas, was laid to rest in the Seneca cemetery.

On February 17, 1907, she was united in marriage to Orin J. Ward, of the nearby Sunny Knoll community, by Rev. H. McMath, at the Methodist parsonage in Goff. They established their home on the Ward farm, near the Sunny Knoll school house, where Mr. Ward taught for many years. Except for two years on a farm near Onaga, this was the family home while their children were growing to young man and womanhood. Mr. Ward was elected Nemaha county clerk in 1932, and Seneca has since been their home.

The four children born to them are: George T. Ward, Joplin, Missouri; Archie O. Ward, Seneca; Alth G. Ward, Topeka, and Mary Joy Brodnax, Pauline, Kansas. There are also eight grandchildren, many more relatives and many friends, with the husband and children, to revere her memory. Mrs. Wards death is the first break in the immediate family circle.

She was an active member of the Methodist church, the Seneca Garden Club, and social member of the S. B. A., and found opportunity for service and pleasure in them. By instinct, a mother and home maker, she had time and energy outside tasks, and her vegetable garden interest matched that of her flowers.

Like most mothers of her generation, she knew keen disappointments and difficulties of life, and endeavored to prepare or protect her loved ones from them. She used constructive criticism as a spur to greater effort. The comfort and welfare of her family has been her first concern through a full and busy life.

With her family grown, she greatly enjoyed close friendships with other mothers, who had experienced similar family responsibilities. It was while on her way Saturday evening to enjoy an hour or two with such a friend, that she met with such an unfortunate accident, and her life's chapter closed a few hours later.

The funeral service was held Monday afternoon at the Methodist church in Seneca, conducted by Rev. Steve Parker. The music was by the choir of the church, the songs, "The Lord's Prayer" and Beautiful Isle of Somewhere." Mrs. C. H. Baldwin was the accompanist. The pallbearers were Francis Levret, William and Walter Thieme, John and Cecil Guretze and John E. Swart. The Thornburg funeral home was in charge of the arrangements. Burial was at the Seneca cemetery.