Mary Koontz Ward

Mary Louise Koontz Ward, 93, of Helmstetler Road, passed away Wednesday, April 20, 2011, at Lexington Health Care. A celebration of life service will be at 3 p.m. Friday at Second United Church of Christ by the Rev. Dr. Joe Coltrane. Burial will follow in Forest Hill Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the church sanctuary before the service. She was born on July 4, 1917, to John Washington Koontz and Fallie Foster Koontz. She graduated at age 15 from Reeds High School where she was salutatorian of her senior class. She worked at Siceloff Manufacturing and then eventually retired from PPG Industries. She was a faithful member of Second United Church of Christ for over 70 years. Until her health started to decline, she attended the Seniors Police Group, the Club of the Golden Years, AARP meetings and her canasta club and enjoyed the opportunity to yell “bingo” when she could. She also enjoyed spending time with her friends at the beach. She liked being around people; she always had a joke to share and will be missed by many. Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, Lonnie Ward; brothers Thurman, Roy and Terry Koontz; and sisters Vettus Myers and Beulah Kepley. Survivors are a daughter and son-in-law, Kaye and Mendel Grant of Lowell; granddaughter Tracy Grant and partner Michael Chalmers of Charlotte; grandson Michael Grant and wife Lisa of Kings Mountain; brother Paul Koontz and wife Sue of Lexington; sister-in-law Grace Hatley of Hillsborough; as well as a number of nieces and nephews. The family would like to extend a special thanks to the staff at Lexington Health Care and to a special caregiver, Lynn Smith.