Barbara J. Ward

BARBARA JEAN (JONES) WARD

Barbara Jean (Jones) Ward, 78, of Derby, KS, passed away after a 13-year battle with Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) on Saturday, July 30, 2022, at Meadowlark Adult Care Homes with her daughters by her side.

Barbara was born in Wichita, KS on August 23, 1943, to Alvin and Elizabeth Jones. She graduated from Tonganoxie High School in 1961.

Barbara met Albert Ward in 1964 while working at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Mission, KS. They married on May 18, 1968, and then moved to Derby, KS in 1972.

Barbara was a strong woman, loving wife, supportive mother, and proud grandmother. She also took great pride in her work at Goodyear, Midwest Petroleum, then as a civilian employee of the Kansas Air National Guard from where she retired in 2010.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Jerry; and sisters Mary Ann and Julia. Barbara is survived by her beloved husband, Albert; brothers, John Jones of Nebraska, and Robert Patrick (Joyce) Jones of Missouri; sister-in-law Nancy Franklin of Oklahoma; daughters, Diane Dixon of Derby, and Carolyn Ward of Topeka; grandchildren, Niamh Dixon and Liam Dixon of Derby; step-grandchildren, Lauren (Michael) Childers and Cassie Hermes; a step great-grandchild, and nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Barbara’s name to AFTD - Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, 2700 Horizon Drive, Suite 120, King of Prussia, PA 19406 (www.theaftd.org) or the Woodlawn United Methodist Church.

As Barbara’s last selfless act, brain donation was coordinated with Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center to help further research to identify causes, treatments, and hopefully, one day, cures for devastating diseases including FTD.

The family wishes to send a special thank you to the staff at Meadowlark Adult Care Homes and Ascension Living HOPE for their care and compassion in caring for Barbara for many years.

A memorial service will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, August 6 at Woodlawn United Methodist Church in Derby, Kansas.