Thera Louise Ward

Thera Louise Ward, 95, of East Tawakoni, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Saturday September 21, 2019.  Funeral services celebrating Thera’s life will be at 10:30 A.M. Wednesday September 25, 2019 at Emory Baptist Church with Dr. Richard Piles officiating.  A graveside service will follow at 2:30 P.M. at Crown Hill Memorial Park in Dallas under the direction of Ingram Funeral Home.

Serving as Pallbearers:  Brian Ward, Scott Ward, Todd Robinson, Carter Ward, Zachary Ward, and John Wayne Mangham.

Thera was born March 19, 1924 in Martin’s Mill, Texas to the late Lewis Thomas Wright and Rennie Idella Mann Wright.  She was raised and attended school in Martin’s Mill, graduating from Martin’s Mill High School in 1943.  After graduation Thera and her family moved to Dallas where she met, fell in love and married her next-door neighbor, Arthur Ward.  They married on February 19, 1944 and were married 40 years when he died on August 24, 1984.  Arthur would tell people he married her because she could make good biscuits.  While being a godly wife, mother, and grandmother was her number one priority and accomplishment, she lived a very productive life.  Although Thera never used her training in the medical arena, she received a degree as a practical nurse.  Caring for others was a divine gift that didn’t require a nursing degree.  She later entered the cosmetology field and after finishing cosmetology school, worked alongside her sister-in-law Hattie Robinson at Hattie’s Beauty Shop for many years until the shop closed.  Thera could have stayed home content to be a wife and mother, but that was not the case.  With the encouragement of family and friends she began working for the Irving Independent School District in the cafeteria.  This was the perfect job for her because she loved to cook.  She retired as the head pastry cook for Irving High School.

Thera lived in East Tawakoni for 43 years.  She and Arthur loved to fish – well really Thera loved to fish.  In 1976 they purchased a small weekend lake house and in 1985, she built her current home.  While she spent a lot of time fishing, Thera always had a beautiful yard and lots of flowers.  She also enjoyed gardening, canning vegetables, sewing, quilting, crocheting and embroidery, as well as baking breads and candies to sell at craft bazaars and give as gifts.  She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, sons Art and Rickey Ward, sister Myarl Mangham, and brother Charles Wright.

She is loved and will be missed by her daughters Linda Robinson and husband Skip of Mesa, Arizona, Margaret Barnett and husband Hershey of East Tawakoni, daughter-in-law Virginia Ward of Celina; grandsons Brian Ward of Anna, Scott Ward and wife Debbie of Celina, and Todd Robinson of Mesa, Arizona; great-grandsons Justin Ward and wife Makayla of Anchorage, Alaska, Carter Ward of Celina and Zachary Ward of Anna; great-granddaughters Parker Ward of Celina, and Brianna Ward of Anna, and great-great-granddaughter Bryden Ward of Anchorage, Alaska.