Obituary Viola Jean Ward
December 22nd, 1941 - May 30th, 2023
On Tuesday night May 30, 2023 Viola Jean Ward (81) of Rexburg, Idaho passed away surrounded by her family. Viola loved her family. Viola was born in Rexburg, Idaho on December 22, 1941 to Ruby Florence Marlow and Horace Eugene Perry. She grew up in Rexburg and married DeLoy Z. Ward in the Idaho Falls Temple on February 14, 1958. Together they had seven children.
Viola and DeLoy faced hard times and tragedies in their life including losing their son Duane in 1962. However, with their hard work and perseverance they raised their other six kids to have successful lives and also built and ran a successful farming operation in Madison and Bingham Counties. She was very involved in the farm and a large part of their success over the years. She moved pipe, drove tractors, did many of the records and helped in the management of the farm all while raising her children.
Viola was talented and acquired the skills that she needed. She loved to sew quilts, weave baskets and crochet. She was good at cooking, and needlework. She had a lot of empathy for people. Her handwor won top honors at the fair, even though she didn’t know she entered it.
She was preceded in death by her parents Ruby and Horace Perry, her son Neal Ward, infant son Duane Ward and two infant great-grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by her family including: husband DeLoy Z. Ward, daughter-in-law Shelly Ward (Blackfoot, ID), son Robert (Karen) Ward of Mountain Home, ID, daughter Eileen (Glenn) Bradbury of Perry, UT, daughter Ruby Ward (Logan, UT), daughter Susan Rose (Matt) Lindsey of Rigby, ID, and son Perry (Holly) Ward of Blackfoot, ID; and many more including 19 grandchildren and 27 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Monday June 5, 2023, at the Rexburg Stake Center (845 West 7th South, Rexburg, ID) at 11:00 a.m. The family will visit with friends on Sunday, June 4th from 5:00 to 6:30 pm at the Eckersell Funeral home (101 West Center Street, Rigby, ID) and prior to the services on Monday from 9:30-10:45 am at the Rexburg Stake Center. Burial will be in the Sugar City Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.eckersellfuneralhome.com.
