Vera Olive Ward, 81, a longtime resident of Moretown, passed away at Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin on October 10, 2016. Born in Fayston on November 13, 1934, she was the daughter of the late Ernest and Mabel (Brooks) Luce. On July 30, 1954, she married Ronald E. Ward in Warren.
Vera was raised by her mother, Mabel, and her stepfather, Dean Cameron. She attended schools in Warren and Waitsfield and was a 1953 graduate of Waitsfield High School. Following her marriage, she and Ron lived in Barre and then migrated back to the Mad River Valley settling in Moretown where they later built their home on Freeman Hill. For the past several years she was a resident of Berlin Health and Rehabilitation Center.
Vera worked briefly for National Life Insurance Co. and then was happy and busy as a homemaker, wife, mother and Gram. She later was employed as an assistant town clerk for Moretown, assisted her husband when he served as tax collector and worked cleaning rental properties.
Vera was a founding member of the Mad River Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club where she served as their secretary for several years and was an active member of Moretown United Methodist Church. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, tending her flower gardens and camping at Kampersville. She and Ron were fortunate to enjoy traveling some, including Florida for several years. They spent a lot of time in Pittsburg, New Hampshire, where she enjoyed the outdoors and wildlife there. She loved collecting glassware and dishes, country music and trips to Branson, Missouri, and Nashville, Tennessee.
Vera was the kindest, most loving lady, always with a smile and a twinkle in her eye. She will be sadly missed by her family and friends.
Vera is loved and mourned by her husband of 62 years, Ronald Ward of Moretown; their children, Brian Ward of Moretown, Kathy Carton of Warren, and Calvin Ward and his wife Sharon of Moretown; three grandchildren, Colin Ward of Providence, Rhode Island, Caitlin Quenneville and her husband Joe of Moretown, and Stephen Carton of Stowe; two great-grandchildren, Mason Quenneville and Jaxon Carton; a sister, Geralene Thompson of Norwalk, Connecticut; a brother, Lester Cameron and his wife Marilyn of Moretown; a sister-in-law, Betty Luce of Barre; as well as nieces, nephews and extended family. Vera was predeceased by two brothers, Bertrand Luce and Randall Luce, and two sisters Arlene Crete and Leona Neill.
Funeral services will be held from Moretown United Methodist Church on Friday, October 21, 2016, at 11 a.m. with a reception to follow. Interment will take place in Mountain View Cemetery in Moretown. The family requests that flowers be omitted; rather memorial gifts would be appreciated to Berlin Health and Rehabilitation Center, 98 Hospitality Drive, Barre, VT 05641, or to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org). Assisting the family is Perkins-Parker Funeral Home in Waterbury. To send online condolences please visit www.perkinsparker.com.
