Walker Ward

Mrs. Walker Wynelle Adkins Ward, passed away peacefully at Hospice Ministries in Ridgeland, MS, surrounded by her family following a long illness. Mrs. Ward was born on January 18, 1923, in Walker County, AL, to James O. and Eula Roberts Adkins. She attended Cullman County schools, completing high school at Berry School in Rome, GA. She studied 3 years at Berry College, and received her B.S. in Home Economics from Montevallo College in 1946. She taught at Dora High School for one year where she was honored as "favorite teacher" in the yearbook. Following one year as dietician at the University of Alabama, she transferred to Auburn University and served as Head Dietician of the dining halls. On June 5, 1949, she married Harold P. Ward following his graduation from Auburn. They moved to Birmingham for his engineering job with Southern Bell where she became the founding director of the Home Economics department at Howard College, now Samford University. An accomplished seamstress, gardener and cook, she became a full-time homemaker when her children were born and made a home for her family in each city to which the telephone company transferred her husband. In addition to Birmingham, they lived in Louisville, Ky.; Baton Rouge, La.; Atlanta, Mountain Brook, Ala.; and Jackson, Miss. They retired in North Shelby County where she created lush floral gardens surrounding their lakeside home. She was active in her church WMU and school PTA's, then faithfully cared for her mother during an extended illness. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Birmingham, and earlier Mountain Brook Baptist and Huffman Baptist. She was a beloved wife, daughter, mother and grandmother, and a lovely role-model for her children and grandchildren. Her husband of 61 years, Harold P. Ward, lives to remember her sweetly in Birmingham. He devoted himself to her care since the onset of her illness 14 years ago. Her son David H. Ward and wife Anna, live in Baton Rouge; daughter and son-in-law Debra and David McIntosh, Jr., live in Jackson, MS; grandchildren Kate McIntosh Graham and husband Will, live in Birmingham with her new great-granddaughter Elodie; and Alex Ward McIntosh and wife Chelsea live in Starkville, MS. Her brother James A. Adkins lives in Dora, AL. She has joined her parents and sister, Doris Adkins Ratliff, in the awesome Presence of the Lord. A memorial service to celebrate her life and home-going will be held at First Baptist Church, Birmingham, on Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 11:00 AM. The family will receive friends at the church at 10:00 AM prior to the service. Family burial service will follow at Jefferson Memorial Gardens, South, in Hoover. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to First Baptist Church, Birmingham. Services are under the direction of Currie-Jefferson Funeral Home (205-987-0068), Hoover, AL.