William W. Ward

Fort Atkinson native William W. Ward, 87, left this earth for life eternal on Tuesday, July 26, dying of Alzheimers disease. Although he lived on the same Wisconsin dairy farm for most of his life, he never let the farm borders define who he was or what he did. He has reached out to his community, his state, and his nation.
Bill was born in Fort Atkinson on August 4, 1923, to Theodore and Pearl (Walther) Ward. He was raised on the family dairy farm just west of Fort Atkinson on Highway 12 where his father and uncle, Robert Ward, farmed in partnership. For grades 1 to 8, Bill attended a one-room rural school. During this time he also started music lessons, including snare drum. One of the highlights of his childhood was marching with the Jefferson County Farm Bureau Band at the 1933 Chicago Worlds Fair.
Upon graduating from the 8th grade he won a Jefferson County declamation contest that was open to all 8th grade graduates from the 125 rural schools in the county. He then attended Fort Atkinson High School where he was active in FFA, cheerleading and band. His oratory skills were recognized once again when he won a statewide FFA public speaking contest. He graduated in 1941.
Bill enrolled at the University of Wisconsin in Madison with an Agricultural Education major. It was here that he met his future bride, Janice Eide of Lodi, at a freshman mixer. He also played snare drum in the UW Marching Band, and he joined an agricultural fraternity, Delta Theta Sigma, where he met many life-long friends.
Bill was able to finish two years at the university before joining the U.S. Navy in August of 1943 when he reported to the Dartmouth College V-12 program in New Hampshire, one of hundreds of colleges across the U.S. with service training centers. In March of 1944 he reported to Midshipmen School at Columbia University in New York City for an intensive three-month officer training course. He was one of three men in his class of 1,500 to be awarded a sword by the New York Yacht Club for ranking in the top of the class. And he was one of 20 men selected to stay at Columbia Midshipmen School as an instructor; Bill taught navigation here for one year.
In June of 1945, as part of the military build-up for an invasion of Japan, Bill was assigned to sea duty in the Pacific. While still in Seattle, the two atomic bombs were dropped on Japan; and by the time his ship arrived at Pearl Harbor, the Japanese had surrendered. Bill spent the next year making four trips to the Pacific to transport fresh occupational troops to the Pacific and carry war-weary troops back home.
After leaving the Navy in the summer of 1946, Bill returned to the University of Wisconsin for two more years of college. On August 23, 1947 he married Janice Eide. He graduated with a B.S. in Agricultural Education with the Class of 1948 and won the Milk Can Award for being named the outstanding senior man in the College of Agriculture.
After graduation Bill and Jan returned to Fort Atkinson where they farmed for more than 40 years and lived for more than 60 years. This is where they also raised their four children, Carol, David, Lori and Barbara. Bill farmed in partnership with his brother, Ted Ward, until 1976; his son, David, joined the operation that same year.
As a dairy farmer, Bill was quick to adapt new technology. He and Jan also opened the farm to many tour groups, from local Kindergarten classes to international agricultural dignitaries. Two of the largest events at the farm were co-hosting the 1956 Farm Progress Days with neighbors Craig and Laura Beane and hosting the Jefferson County Dairy Breakfast in June of 1984. They also welcomed foreign students, relatives, and UW students who wanted to learn more about farming.
The most memorable event at the farm was in April of 1973 when the dairy barn burned to the ground. At the age of 50, and with a son wanting to return to farming, Bill decided he wasnt ready to stop milking cows so they built a new barn.
Through the years Bill was very active in the Fort Atkinson community. He was a member of the Board of Education for nine years, including three years as president. He joined the Fort Atkinson Rotary Club in 1962 and was one of few farmers to do so. He served as a director on several boards, including the Bank of Fort Atkinson, the Fort Atkinson Memorial Hospital Foundation, and the Fort Atkinson Historical Society.
Bill and Jan were active members of the First United Methodist Church in Fort Atkinson. They were also dedicated volunteers at the Hoard Museum and National Dairy Shrine. For his community involvement he received the Fort Atkinson Lions Distinguished Community Service Award in 1983; was named a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow in 1989; and received the Hoard Museum Volunteer of the Year award in 1989.
Bill was also active in local and state agricultural organizations, including the Jefferson County Farm Bureau and Wisconsin Farm Bureau; the American Dairy Association of Wisconsin; the Milwaukee Cooperative Milk Producers Association; the Wisconsin Agri-Business Council; and the Wisconsin Pro-Milk Committee. For his extensive service to Wisconsin agriculture, Bill received an Award of Distinction from the University of Wisconsin College of Agricultural and Life Sciences in 1992.
A life-long learner, Bill traveled to the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries with a Wisconsin agricultural delegation in 1961; learned how to fly at the age of 54; and took up stained glass making in his retirement. He was also an historian at heart, writing up family history and genealogy and his own autobiography. Locally he was known for the many talks he gave in the 1970s on the history of dairying in Jefferson County, including a map of where 84 cheese plants and creameries were once located in the county. He also located and pictured the sites of all of the125 rural schools that formerly covered Jefferson County and gave many talks on this topic.
In retirement, Bill and Jan became avid travelers and dedicated grandparents. But their favorite place on earth, besides the farm, was at the A-frame cabin they built on a lake near Hayward. They generously shared this special place with friends, family, and even friends of family and family of friends!
Bills final gift to the world he so loved was to donate his brain to the Wisconsin Brain Donor Program with the hope ofadvancing the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of brain disease.
Bill is survived by his wife of nearly 64 years, Janice, and their four children: Carol Ward Knox, Fort Atkinson; David (Jean) Ward, Fort Atkinson; Lori (Luke) Bocher, Evansville; and Barbara (Marc) McCrory, Janesville. He is also survived by eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren: Christopher (Kim) Knox and Emily, Addison, and Cameron, Indianapolis, IN; Benjamin (Meggan) Knox and Andrew, Madrid, Spain; Kevin Ward, Milwaukee; Sarah and Andrew Bocher, Evansville; and Ryan, Daniel and Caitlin McCrory, Janesville. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, June Ward, Janesville; a special niece, Shari (Tim) Dunn, Fort Atkinson; and other nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by an infant sister; his parents; his brother, Ted Ward; and Teds first wife, Kathleen.
The family would like to thank the staff at Fairhaven Senior Services in Whitewater for taking good care of Bill in his last two years of life. They would also like to thank his good friend, Bob Gressman, Albany, for his many visits while Bill was at Fairhaven.
Funeral services will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Fort Atkinson at 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 4, with the Rev. Russ Frees officiating. Friends may call at the church from 3 p.m. until the time of the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church of Fort Atkinson; the Hoard Museum or National Dairy Shrine home in Fort Atkinson; or the Ward Family Ag Fund (12271827) at the University of Wisconsin Foundation.
Arrangements are being handled by the Dunlap Memorial Home.
www.dunlapmemorialhome.com

Memorials can be made payable to the UW Foundation-Ward Family Ag Fund 12271827, US Bank Lockbox 78807, Milwaukee, WI 53278. This Fund will enhance undergraduate, graduate and outreach education by providing flexible budget support to attract students to dairy science, to enhance experiential learning opportunities, to take advantage of unique learning opportunities and technologies, and to support faculty in their quest of new instructional approaches and techniques.

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