Helen Ward

Thursday, May 21, 2009 in Decatur Memorial Hospital.A celebration of her life will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, May 28, 2009 in CentralChristian Church with the Rev. Gretchen Barron officiating. Family members will visit with friends between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. at the church prior to the service, and burial will be in Macon County Memorial Park immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials toCentral Christian Church. Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements. The daughter of Adolph and Grace Edwards Welge, Helen was born December 17, 1913 in the home of her parents in rural DeWitt County, Illinois. She was the last surviving member of the Class of 1932 of Argenta High School where she played the alto saxophone both in the high school band and in the Maroa Band. In 1936, she graduated from Millikin University with a math major and was then employed as the Illinois Wesleyan University accountant. She also taught advanced accounting at IWU for 1 1/2 years.Helen married Robert Elmore Ward on December 23, 1939 in the same home in which she wasborn. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in December, 2004, just weeksbefore Bob's death on March 10, 2005.Helen was a very active member of Central Christian Church for 60 years where she wasan Elder Emerita and served on Church Council and as a deaconess, director of the nursery, youth sponsor, and president of Christian Women's Fellowship and the Harmony and Keystone Sunday school classes.She was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity and served in numerous national, state,and local offices, including treasurer of the ZTA Foundation, Province President, and Financial Advisor to the chapter at Millikin, the latter for 42 years. She was a past president of both the ZTA Decatur Alumnae Chapter and House Corporation. Helen was also a retired Decatur Public Schools teacher and an avid Cubs fan.She leaves, to cherish her memory, son Richard Ward and daughter Janet Huth, both ofDecatur; granddaughters Tara (Tim) Robinson of Glendale, AZ, Laurie (Greg) Davies ofMesa, AZ, and Wendy Huth of Decatur; great-grandchildren, Justin Fredrickson andKortny and Alyssa Robinson of Glendale, AZ, and Morgan Davies of Mesa, AZ; and brother-in-law Eldo (Faye) Coffman of Sutherlin, OR.She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and one daughter, Mary Helen.Throughout her entire life, Helen was a faithful servant of her Lord and Savior, JesusChrist, and a caring and generous woman with a warm and radiant smile who was trulydevoted to her husband and family.She loved deeply and she was deeply loved, and now she is at peace in the arms of theOne who loves her more.Condolences may be left to the family at www.brintlingerandearl.com "
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