Mary Whisenant Ward

ROCK HILL - Mrs. Mary Ruth Whisenant Ward, 87, 1422 East Decatur Drive, passed away Saturday, July 7, 2012, at her home.

A memorial service celebrating her life will be 11 a.m. Thursday, July 12, 2012, at Westminster Chapel, with Dr. Shelton P. Sanford officiating. The family will receive friends in the church parlor immediately following the service and other times at the home.

Mrs. Ward was a native of Rock Hill and the daughter of the late Ervin M. and Sophia Lee Cowan Whisenant. She was a charter member of Westminster Presbyterian Church and the Catawba Chapter of the D.A.R. and retired from Rock Hill Printing & Finishing Company where she worked as a machine operator for over 40 years.

Surviving are her daughter, Ann W. Baldwin Parker and her husband, Wayne, of Leesburg, Fla.; her sister, Frances Branham; three granddaughters, Beth Stickdorn (Shane) of Gastonia, N.C., Shannon Hogan (Bryan) of Rock Hill and Tra’cee Durden (Daniel) of the home who were also her caregivers; and five great-grandchildren, Taylor, Abbigail, Payten, Brianna and Parker; and her beloved cat, Tiger.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Ward was preceded in death by her daughter, Martha K. Ward LaNeve; five brothers; and six sisters.

In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorials be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1300 India Hook Road, Rock Hill, SC 29732.

Published in The Herald from July 10 to July 12, 2012