Leila Marie Ward

LEILA MARIE WARD

Cedar Rapids

Leila Marie Ward, 59, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, at UIHC. Celebration of Life service will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, at Brosh Chapel and The Avacentre, located at 2121 Bowling St. SW, Cedar Rapids. Burial will take place at Oak Hill Cemetery. Friends may visit with the family from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 14, at the chapel.

Leila was born Aug. 22, 1959, in Iowa City. She graduated from Washington High School in Cedar Rapids. Leila was a math enthusiast. She received her B.S. degree from Coe College with an emphasis in math. She worked at Rockwell Collins for 22 years. She then became a licensed realtor in Cedar Rapids and briefly worked for Kopel Realty. She also received her paralegal license. Most recently, Leila worked as a supervisor at Amana Refrigeration.

Leila is survived by her daughter, Mackenzie Marie Ward; bonus daughters, Machaley and Mariah Ward; grandchildren, Jesiah and Aniyah Collins; brother, Bobby (Linda) Levy; sisters, Carole Bernard-Freeman (Rawland), Anita (Maurice) Derrick of Cedar Rapids and Valorie McCall of Shakopee, Minn.; "Special Dad" Marvell Cook; aunt, Delores Becicka; nieces, nephews and close friends, Kim Jones, Melissa Carr Miller and Rehana Baluch.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Viola Louise Levy.

Leila was a strong-willed, independent, kind, loving person and very thoughtful of others. Her laugh was infectious. She will be greatly missed by her daughter, siblings, other family members and friends.

Memorials may be directed to Mackenzie Ward.

The family wishes to extend a special thank you to the doctors and nursing staff at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids and the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City for all their attention and care given to Leila. We greatly appreciate and thank you all.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.broshchapel.com.