Obituary of Florence M. Ward

Florence M. Ward, 100, of Lafayette Hill, PA passed away peacefully on December 2, 2019.

Devoted mother of Mimi Craig (Frank), James J. Ward, III and Ginner Farrell (Jack)..  She is also survived by her sister, Julianne Groody.  She was predeceased by five brothers and one sister. She was the devoted daughter of the late Patrick and Florence McMurtrie Groody.

Florence was born in Lost Creek, a small mining town in Pennsylvania. As a young child, her family moved to Ashland, PA where Florence lived until she moved to Philadelphia in 1943 and worked at First Pennsylvania Bank. She met Jim Ward when he returned from serving in the Navy and they were married in November, 1947.

Florence and Jim raised their three children in Lafayette Hill, PA.  After her husband’s sudden death in 1967, Florence returned to the workforce. In 1968, Florence began a long rewarding career at LaSalle College High School where she helped establish Alumni and Development office.  She worked at LaSalle for 37 years and remained close to the LaSalle community until her death.  Florence was the second woman to receive an honorary diploma and the only woman to be inducted into LaSalle’s Alumni Hall of Fame.

Relatives and friends are invited to her viewing on Sunday, December 8th from 7:00 – 9:00 pm and on Monday, December 9th from 10:30-11:30 am at Saint Philip Neri Church, 437 Ridge Pike, Lafayette Hill, PA, 19444 followed by a Mass of Christian burial at 11:30 am. Internment  at Calvary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Florence Ward Scholarship Fund at LaSalle College High School, 8605 Cheltenham Avenue, Wyndmoor, PA 19038.