William Richard Ward

William Richard Ward

April 20, 1913 – January 4, 2015

William Richard Ward, 101, of Wilson passed away Sunday, January 4, 2015.  His funeral will be held 2 p.m. Saturday at Joyner’s Funeral Home.  Interment will follow in Evergreen Memorial Park, Wilson. The Rev. Justin Deeter will officiate.   The family will receive friends 6 – 8:30 p.m. Friday at Joyner’s Funeral Home, 4100 Raleigh Road Parkway.   Richard was retired from James I. Miller Tobacco Company after thirty-six years of service and he was a member and former deacon at Forest Hills Baptist Church.  Richard was loved and will be dearly missed.   Richard is survived by his granddaughter, Jana Renee’ McCormick and husband, Darrin of Lima, New York; his grandson, Jeffrey W. Hanson and wife, Melissa of Virginia Beach, Virginia; great-grandchildren, Joseph, Matthew, Brittany, Chase, Ryan, Emily and Zach; his brother, Leon Ward of Brogden; son-law, Bruce Hanson of Rochester, New York; several nieces and nephews and his special friends, Joanne Merritt and Spencer and Lynn Barnes.   He was preceded in death by his wife, Creola “Sallie” Edith Ward; his daughter, Gloria Faye Hanson; great-granddaughter, Jennifer Hanson and his sisters, Mary Mills, Lola Ward and Ellen Waters and brothers, Raymond Ward, Newton Ward, Lester Ward, Esther Ward and Jim Ward.   In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Muscular Dystrophy Syndrome, (MDS), 3716 National Drive, Suite 222, Raleigh, NC  27612.   Condolences may be directed to www.joyners.net.