- Date Of Birth: January 29, 1946
- Date Of Death: November 27, 2014
- State: Alabama
Mr. Willie Ward Jr. was born January 29, 1946 in Decatur, AL to the late Mr. Willie Ward Sr. and Mattie Lee Swoopes Ward. He departed this life on November 27, 2014 at Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee.
Willie attended Lakeside High School in Decatur, Alabama, where he was a phenomenal athlete in basketball and football. He graduated in 1964. Shortly thereafter, he attended Albright Business College. After Albright he went on to complete a maintenance and apprenticeship program with Champion Papers in 1970 where he began his career. He retired from Champion in 2000 after 30 years of service.
He started his courtship with Carmella Dillard also known as “Tootie” in high school and was united in holy matrimony in June 1967 and to this union two children were born.
He accepted Christ at an early age and joined First Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Reverend Ewing. He served as a Junior Deacon and was also a member of the usher board and choir.
He was preceded in death by his father, Willie Ward Sr. and brother, Herman Johnson.
His loving memory and lasting impressions will be cherished by: his devoted wife, Carmella Ward; two children, Weena Ward Jones (John) of Birmingham, AL and Willie Ward III (Michelle) of Decatur, AL; two granddaughters, Maya and Melodie Jones of Birmingham and two grandsons, Marcus Romine and Kamden Ward of Decatur, AL; his mother, Mattie Ward of Decatur; two sisters, Norma Ward Richardson of Atlanta, Georgia and Brenda Ward Gooden of Schaumburg, Illinois. He had four nieces and one nephew and a host of other relatives and friends.
