WARD, Ethel May

(Maiden Name: Snell)

The Verde Independent, Cottonwood, Arizona Thursday, May 16, 2013 Ethel May Ward, 99, died Friday, May 10, 2013 after a brief illness. She was born on December 4, 1913 in Aurora, Kansas to parents John and Estella Snell; and grew up with siblings Lyle and Mildred Kinkiad, and Morris, Albert, Levi, Robert, George, Edith and Addie Snell. Ethel was preceded in death by both parents and all her siblings. Ethel married James Erickson and moved to Prescott in 1949. They owned and operated an appliance store and she worked as a seamstress in a T-shirt factory and then the hospital. James died in 1976 after a long illness. Ethel moved to Camp Verde in 1976 and later met and married Paul R. McCoy, who died in 1981 after a brief illness. Ethel then met Thomas E. Ward and they were married in March, 1993. They lived in Camp Verde and Cottonwood and then moved to Kentucky before they moved back to Camp Verde. Thomas passed away in July, 2012. Ethel enjoyed playing music, gardening, sewing, arts and crafts, bingo and playing cards. She especially loved making Kachina Dolls, and later greeting cards that she made with flowers she collected and pressed herself. She stayed active and was fiercely independent. She loved attending and being active in the Methodist Church. She is survived by one sister-in-law, Adaline Snell of Salina, KS; and niece Myrna (Bill) Uhraine of Camp Verde and sons Mike Chapman and Jason Suitor; niece Glenda (Loyd) Wells of Cottonwood and son Nathan; niece Sharon Snell of Highpoint, NC and children Clinton and Jessica; niece Dorothy (Marlin) Janzen of Albuquerque, NM and daughter Janet; niece Arline Johnston of Excelsior Springs, MO; niece Linda (Don) Woodward of Mayfield, KY; and niece Lori Snell of Lancaster, CA. Although Ethel never had any children, she is also survived by her stepson Kevin (Cheryl) Steward of Prescott, and son Shawn; stepdaughter Susan Byrd of Cottonwood, and step grandchildren Richard Ward of Cottonwood, Angela Barrett of Phoenix, and Debbie Veramontez of Phoenix. Services will be held at the Camp Verde Community Church (Methodist Church) 480 First Street Camp Verde, AZ on Saturday May 18th at 1pm. Please share your condolences online at www.buelerfuneralhome.com Information provided by survivors.
Posted by Sharla on May 17, 2013

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