David Ward, born 1/27/1935, in Dothan, AL grew up on a farm adjacent to Hartford Lake just outside Hartford, AL. He was raised by Jeff and Kate Ward, the youngest of 4 brothers and 4 sisters. One of his favorite and most frequently shared memories is of working in the fields with his brother, George, and seeing his future wife, Mary Charles Durant, ride by enroute to visit her grandparents. They waved at each other, and he told my Uncle George right then and there that he was “going to marry that little girl one day.” And he did!
As classmates at Geneva County High School, David and Mary Charles quickly became an item. David played football and drove a school bus, spending every available minute with his sweetheart, Mary C. They were elected Homecoming King and Queen their senior year and married Christmas Eve 1954 following graduation.
David worked a variety of jobs to provide a livelihood for them ranging from truck drivers to pharmacy assistants. He had joined the National Guard while in high school and remained active with them through monthly weekend drills and annual summer camps. This service provided him numerous educational opportunities, became a 2nd love and provided training for his life’s work as an avionics technician at Fort Rucker, as well as an artillery and mechanical specialist and trainer with the Alabama National Guard.
In addition to Mary Charles and the National Guard, David loves God, his family and friends and the Alabama Crimson Tide. As a lifelong member of Hartford Baptist Church, he served as Sunday School teacher for high school boys, chaperone for youth music camps, regular usher and was active with all men’s and eventually senior citizens’ programs. He supported his children’s extracurricular school activities through Quarterback Club, Band Boosters, and as Pee Wee Football Coach. His community involvement included Jaycees, Lion’s Club, and Gideons. His favorite past-times of recent years focused on mowing his lawn from his riding mower, working crossword puzzles and watching classic westerns.