Obituary for Jack Lee Ward
Jack Lee Ward was born on April 22, 1927, in Dallas,Texas, to Klara Steiner Ward and Levin Nickerson Ward. He passed into Heaven on May 20, 2019, at his home in Houston, Texas. Jack is survived by his wife of almost 69 years, (Eunice) Gene Greiner Ward, his daughter Janice Ward Phelps (Robert) of New Orleans, Louisiana and Fredericksburg, Texas, and his son Jack Lee Ward, Jr. (Yolanda) of Houston. Four grandchildren and three great- grandchildren also survive him: Diana V.W. Dickschat, M.D. (Dustin) and Tyler Dickschat of Frisco, Texas; Jack Lee Ward III (Ashley), Jack Lee Ward IV and Matthew Ward of Round Rock, Texas; and Douglas Phelps and Marie-Page Phelps of New Orleans, Louisiana.
Growing up in Dallas, Jack was a distinguished student and also attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He played the French horn in the All-City Orchestra and the ROTC band at Dallas Technical High School. After his graduation From Dallas Tech in 1942, the next fifteen years saw service in the U. S. Navy in the Pacific, and degrees from Texas A and M University (B.S) and the University of Michigan (M.S.) in Chemical Engineering. He married his beloved wife Gene on September 2, 1950. He worked as an engineer for Atlantic Refining Co. and later moved with his new wife and infant daughter to Hobbs, New Mexico, to work for Shell Oil. His son Jack was born in Hobbs. Changing careers in 1957, he moved his family to Midland, Texas, where he became a salesman for a small oil service company, Plastic Applicators, Inc., leaving as president of the company in 1982. In those years, he was also active in several oilfield-related professional organizations in Midland and Houston.
Jack loved to travel and did business in many parts of the U.S, and in Mexico, Canada, Europe, Africa and the Middle East in the course of his career. He and Gene were fortunate to travel as a couple, enjoying the islands of Hawai’i and the Caribbean, and many cities in the U.S. As the son of a railroad man, Jack loved trains, so their trips often included them: across Western Canada, and through Western Europe on a Eurail Pass in the Seventies, hopping on and off wherever and whenever they pleased. And as an Eagle Scout, Jack certainly saw to it that his wife and children honed their camping skills all around the State of Texas and in the wondrous settings of our National Parks, exploring every old dirt road he could find on a map, and a few that he couldn’t.
The eighties were a tough decade for Jack: the loss of both his career in the oil business and his home to fire in 1983, and a massive heart attack in 1985. But the decade also brought a new career in financial services as a stock broker, allowing Jack to work professionally in an arena that had always fascinated him—the stock market. He went independent in 1990 as owner of his own Texas corporation, Ward Brokerage Services. After thirty years in finance, retirement beckoned at age 86.
Above all, Jack was an active Christian and a strong believer, serving as a teacher, deacon, elder, and trustee in Presbyterian churches in Dallas, Midland and Houston.
He particularly thanked Jon Heine, M.D., for most excellent cardiac care over many years.
His message to his wife, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren: I love you very much.
Although Jack had many more medical challenges in the last years of his life, he faced them courageously--optimistic and uncomplaining -- lovingly supported and encouraged by his wife, Gene. He was always planning the next thing they might do, when he “got to feeling better.” Jack greatly loved and enjoyed his friends, his church family and his extended family- Wards, Steiners, Greiners, and Renfros--aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. The special joy of spending time with the children, especially each of his four grandchildren and his three great-grandsons, brightened all his days.
In lieu of flowers, please consider either a Memorial Gift to Windwood Presbyterian Church designated for the Children’s Ministry (Windwood Presbyterian Church, 10555 Spring Cypress Rd, Houston, TX 77070), or a donation to one of the children’s relief programs of Samaritan’s Purse (https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/donate-online/).