James Wesley Ward

James Wesley Ward passed away on June 28th at his home in Thompson Falls. He was born May 24, 1938 n Hamilton, Montana to James J. and Alma Rennaker Ward. His family moved to the mouth of Thompson Fiver in 1947. He attended school in Thompson Falls graduating from TFHS in 1956. He is survived by his wife Ginger, son Cody and granddaughter Kati on the Ward Ranch and daughter Tracy and granddaughters Jenni and Kari of Rathdrum, Idaho. During the years their children were in school the Ward's had several children in need of a place to live stay with them. One being Regan Holden and she now lives in France.

Wes was proud of his career in the Navy where he served on two destroyers, the USS Beatty and the USS Edson. He was plank owner on the then newly commissioned USS Edson and served his country from 1956-1962, cruising across the Equator twice, through the Panama Canal and traveling the world seeing Greece, London, Cuba, Rome, Italy, and Valparaiso, Chile. He was also a member of the National Association of Destroyer Vetrans belonging to the Tin Can Sailors. When he returned to Thompson Falls he worked in the woods and later was head sawyer at Flodin Lumber Company, now TRL for nearly 40 years, retiring in 2003.

Wes met Ginger Collins and they were married in December 1962. In 1963 they purchased the Ward Ranch on the Blue Slide Road. He loved working with his tractors out on the property. Over his lifetime he turned the entire ranch into a beautiful park-like sanctuary for his family, raking nearly every inch of the ground with his pitchfork cleaning up fallen limbs and needles. He could often be found in the shop or barn or just sitting in the pasture watching nature with his trusty chainsaw and loyal dog most always cutting wood for winter warmth or fixing fence. He loved his fruit trees and going berry picking in the mountains. Cutting hay was a particular favorite in the summer and he took great pride in raising some of the finest grass hay in the area and usually not getting it rained on.

During High School Wes was involved with basketball and baseball. He was an avid follower of sports, and could be seen at most high school home games, years after his own children and graduated. He often traveled to Idaho to see Kari play soccer but sadly was not well enough to travel to see Kati play softball. He loved to hear the girls tell of their games and beamed with pride hearing them. He loved to watch sports on TV from his favorite recliner and closely followed the Seattle Mariners and Gonzaga Bulldogs. In January 2006, he attended a Bulldog gam in Spokane with Tracy and got to sit two rows off the court. It was a highlight for both of them as was seeing a Washington State Cougars football game with Tracy and watching Jenni cheer during half time in Cougar Stadium. He also loved to bowl and was a member of the Senior League as well as the Thursday Night Men's League were he bowled on the same team with Cody. He was able to attend The National Men's Bowling Tournament several times and bowled in the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada right after it was built.

Wes loved hunting with Cody in the fall and taking his grandgirls fishing. They all loved going out in his little boat. He often read Western novels and was a quiet, kind, content man who rarely complained or had an unkind word to say to anyone. He had an amazing inner strength in body, mind, and spirit. He loved his family very much and his three grannddaughters were the shining light in his eyes.

We will very much miss our husband, father and grandfather. Grandpa didn't want us to have a service for him and be sad any more. He fought bone marrow cancer for seven years and Grandma took him to Missoula twice a week at times and to Fort Harrison for his VA appointments. We would very much appreciate you remembrance of him be as a memorial given in Grandpa's name to the Montana Veterans Association (877-468-8387), Guardian Angels of St. Patrick Hospital (329-5741), Clark Fork Valley Hospital Hospice Service (826-4873) or the Cancer Network of Sanders County (826-4278). Grandpa would want to be able to help others this way. As Reagan said it, "he was one of the grandest examples of a human one could ever know."