Ruth D. Ward

Ruth D. Ward, 92, of Mason City, passed away on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, at the Sheffield Care Center. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, December 18, 2023, at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N Pennsylvania Ave, with Pastor Jane Harris officiating. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service time. Interment will be held in Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the American Cancer Society.

Ruth Ward was born on July 11, 1931, in Swaledale to parents Albert and Anna (Nielsen) Theilen. She grew up and graduated from Mason City High School in 1949. She was united in marriage to Sherman Ward at the Christian Lutheran Church in Mason City on December 31, 1948. The couple spent the rest of their married life in Mason City. Ruth spent her life as a homemaker caring for her family. She then worked at Sears for 10 years.

Ruth loved being outdoors, gardening, and traveling with Sherman and her many trips with her bowling league. She was an avid bowler with several 600 series and was a member of the Women’s Bowling Hall of Fame; she was even the Treasurer of the Bowling league. After the kids were older, she took up golfing and won various awards. In her younger years she enjoyed playing baseball. Ruth enjoyed crafting and quilting. She was a member of the North Iowa Quilters Guild as well as a long-time member of Our Saviors Lutheran Church.

Ruth is survived by her children, Sherrine (Morley) Lee, Scott Ward, Sharm (Tracy) Ward; grandchildren, Davi Shafer, Destrina (Torey) Foster, Chris Ward, Josh (Renee) Ward, Jesse Ward, Brandy (Joe) Harmon, Justin (Lovilia) Ward, Courtney Ward; 16 great grandchildren; 3 great great grandchildren; siblings, Mildred Schroeder, Dean (Betty) Theilen, Clara (Richard) Howard. Numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Sherman in 1999, and parents, Albert, and Annie; brother, Albert Jr. Theilen; sister-in-law, Dolly Theilen; brother-in-law, Lawrence Schroeder and Jack Ward; mother-in-law, Ada; sisters-in-law, Marjorie Stearn, Gladys Lewis and Dorothy Rugger.