R. Kenneth Ward

R. Kenneth "Ken" Ward, 78 of Mount Vernon, died Wednesday morning in his Mount Vernon home from an extended illness. Services and military rites will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church, by the Reverend Emory Gillespie. Friends may call Friday, from 5:30 until 8:00 p.m., at Morgan Funeral and Cremation Choices, Mount Vernon Chapel. Burial 2:30 p.m., Saturday at Friends Cemetery, at Springdale. Surviving Ken is his wife Dorothy at home, two daughters: Barb (Ed) Bjork of Mount Vernon, Ruth (Jim) Oxley of West Branch; one brother E. Clayton Ward of San Jose, California; seven grandchildren: Jeremy (Kellee), Brandon (Samantha), and Jamie Oxley; Kim, Nick, Kris, and Curt Bjork; and two great grandchildren: Skylar and Oakley Oxley. Ken was born October 4, 1925 in Washington, Iowa, the son of E. Everett and Helen Belle Risk Ward. He graduated from Washington High School. He served as a Navy Corpsman during World War II, serving in the Pacific. Ken married Dorothy Genung June 14, 1952 in Vallejo, California. Ken was a manufacturer's representative selling farm machinery. The family lived in Redwood City, California, Wellman, Princeton, Illinois, and West Liberty. They retired to Mesa, Arizona in the late 1970's, and moved to Mount Vernon in 1997. Ken was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Hahn-Howard American Legion Post #480 both of Mount Vernon, and a former member of the Masonic Lodge. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established On-line condolences: www.morganfuneralchoices.com