Mass for Helen Ward is Friday

Helen L. (Cantwell) Ward 90, born in Boston, Mass., Dec. 3, 1921, passed away peacefully on May 14, 2012, into the arms of her beloved 6'4" Marine.

Helen attended Hingham High and worked at the Hingham Shipyard during World War II. She met Kenneth Ward, who was stationed there. They married in 1943. After Ken returned home from the Pacific, they moved to Akron to start a large family. They were successful. Ken worked at BF Goodrich for 41 years. She brought them both into St. Paul's Catholic Church where they found comfort in their faith.

Imagine her stories of raising four girls and three boys. She always said that she could write a book. She was very proud of her Irish heritage and adopted the Lynch Family of Kilkenny, Ireland.

Helen loved people. She knew no stranger. She always had an open hand to share her love and kindness with all. She loved animals and shared her home with many. She loved to dance. We just found out her nickname in school was "Jitterbug". Helen and Ken loved their winter time in Phoenix. She especially loved her friends, Ann and Mike Christ, Pat and George Tomaiko, Betty and Jerome Engler, Michael and Gale Lynch, Jerry Testa and her St. Paul's Mission Circle. She passed on into the arms of loving family: her husband, Kenneth Ward; her son-in-law, Frederick Christ, and Carol Christ Brodbeck.

She leaves many behind with wonderful memories, children, Patricia (Fred) Christ (Akron), Denis and Sabina Ward of Uniontown, Susan and David Hyatt of Cuyahoga Falls, Heidi Ward of Phoenix, James and Laura Ward of Phoenix, Kenneth "Bud" and Laura Ward of Norton, Kathleen Ward of San Diego; cousin, Charles "Bud" Dasey and Cathy of Winthrop, Mass.; grandchildren, Dawn (Paul) Kmet of Akron, Heather (Matt) Hunter of Gainesville, Fla., Jeff Christ of Akron, Justus (Shannon) Hyatt of Glendale, Ariz., Zach (Lindsay) Hyatt of Mesa, Ariz., Nina Ward of Uniontown, Jesse and Adam Ward of Norton; great grandchildren, Riley Kmet, Lauren, Greyson, Hunter and Ava Hunter-West, Jeffrey, Ashley, Jonathan and Kaitlyn Christ, Gia Hyatt-Williams of Ft. Wayne, Ind., Heidi Hyatt-Lemke and Harleigh Hyatt of Mesa, Ariz. and Kelly Lynch of San Francisco.

The family would like to especially thank Senior Independence Hospice, 1815 W Market St., Ste 303, Akron, OH 44313; St. Luke Community, 220 Applegrove St. NE, N Canton, OH 44720; and St. Paul's Catholic Church, 433 Mission Dr., Akron, OH 44301.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to any of the above.

Thank you friends for loving Helen. She made us all special.

Share memories with the family at the Dunn-Quigley Funeral Home (811 Grant St.) on Thursday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. The Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians will recite the Rosary at 6 p.m. Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Paul's Catholic Church on Friday at 11 a.m. followed by interment at Holy Cross Cemetery.
[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH, Wednesday, May 16, 2012, page B5, col.5]