Anna Ward

ANNA MAE WARD

Blairstown

Anna Mae Ward, 87, died peacefully on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015, at Heritage Nursing and Rehab in Cedar Rapids. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Watkins with a rosary recited at 4:30 p.m. by the Catholic Order of Forresters. There will also be visitation for an hour before Mass on Thursday. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, at the church with Father Craig Steimel as celebrant. Burial will be at St. Patrick and St. Paul Cemetery, rural Watkins.

Anna Mae was born Nov. 27, 1927, on the family farm near Watkins, the daughter of William and Mary Delaney Schmidt. She graduated from Norway High School in 1945 and attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls where she received her teaching certification. She taught country school near Koszta and on Nov. 7, 1950, she married Donald Ward at St. Patrick's Church in Watkins. Anna was a farm wife and also worked as a waitress in the Amana Colonies and in Blairstown. She enjoyed playing cards in her spare time. She was a longtime member of St. Patrick's Church and, in recent years, she was a member of St. John's Catholic Church in Blairstown.

She is survived by her husband of almost 65 years, Donald P. of Cedar Rapids; six children, Donald J. (Wanda) Ward, Belle Plaine, James A. (Maggie) Ward, Iowa City, Richard L. (Linda) Ward and Marvin D. Ward, both of Cedar Rapids, Patricia Ward, Crosslake, Minn., and Laurie (Tom) Dimmer, Anamosa; 10 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Anna was preceded in death by her parents; four brothers, William, Clarence, Allen and Robert; and four sisters, Margaret, Dolores, Lois and Alice.

A memorial fund has been established.

Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home is caring for Anna and her family. Condolences may be left at www.vsrfh.com.