Gene Ward

MARBLE HILL, Mo. — Gene Ward, 90, of Marble Hill passed away Thursday, July 27, 2017, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Nov. 23, 1926, in Olathe, Colorado, son of Buford and Dell Underwood Ward. He and Rae Hopper were married June 29, 1948, and she passed away Jan. 22, 1998.

Mr. Ward served his nation proudly in the U.S. Army during World War II, where he served in the occupation army of Germany. He was a member of Marble Hill First Baptist Church, where he had served as a deacon and various other duties of the church; a member of Masonic Trowel Lodge 440, the Marble Hill Rotary Club, Bollinger County VFW Post 5900; a retired funeral director having founded and operated Ward Funeral Home in Marble Hill with his wife, Rae, from 1953 until 1979, at which time they sold the business to the Liley family. During this same time period, he owned and operated Bollinger County Memorial Park Cemetery. He served several terms as Bollinger County coroner.

Survivors include two sons, Robert (Janeann) Ward and Timothy Ward of Cape Girardeau; two grandchildren, Kelliann (Micah) Hammel of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Beau (Laura) Ward of Cleveland, Georgia.

Preceding him in death were his parents, wife and a daughter, Tamara Ward Morehouse.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at Liley Funeral Home in Marble Hill.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Fred Ritter officiating. Burial will follow in Bollinger County Memorial Park Cemetery, with full military honors by the Missouri Honors Team.

Memorials are suggested to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.lileyfuneralhomes.com.