Obituary of Marian M. Ward

Marian Moran Ward, 83, died Thursday (Jan. 12, 2006) at Fellowship Village in Basking Ridge. Born in Plainfield, she lived in North Plainfield for 25 years before returning to Plainfield at the time of her marriage to Thomas J. Ward in 1947. The couple moved to Basking Ridge in 1995. Mrs. Ward taught at St. Josephs School in North Plainfield for eleven years and, upon her retirement in 1980, became an active volunteer. She was a member and past president of the Laurel League, a member of the Auxiliary of Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center, and a member of the Long Hill Womens Club in Sterling. Her recent volunteer work also included service at Villa Maria in North Plainfield and the Shrine of St. Joseph in Stirling. Mrs. Ward was a graduate of Mount St. Mary Academy in Watchung (1939), and Georgian Court College in Lakewood (1943). Her husband, Thomas J. predeceased her in 1996. Surviving are her brother, Robert H. Moran of Williamsburg, Virginia; three sons, Michael P. of Boston, Massachusetts, Thomas C. of Vermilion, Ohio and Kevin J. Ward of Berkeley Heights; a daughter Susan W. Aly; and eight grandchildren. A funeral Mass will be held at 10am Wednesday at St. Josephs Shrine, 1050 Long Hill Rd. in Stirling followed by interment at Holy Redeemer Cemetery in South Plainfield. Visitation is from 2-4pm and 7-9pm Tuesday at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd., Watchung. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Josephs Shrine Hill Care Fund, 1050 Long Hill Rd, Stirling, NJ 07980 and Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center, Park Ave. at Randolph Rd., Plainfield, NJ 07060.