12/30/2025
Gary B. Ward, age 85, passed away on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, in Parker, Colorado.
Gary Bruce Ward was born April 12, 1940, in the Masonic Hospital in Cherokee, Oklahoma to the proud parents of Raymond Verone and Virginia Rose (Bright) Ward.
Gary graduated from Carmen High School in 1958. Upon graduation he went to Northwestern State College in Alva, Oklahoma for two years. He had to put his studies on hold for health reasons. While recuperating, he worked in customer service at the W.W. Starr Lumber Company Carmen, OK.
In 1962, Gary moved to Denver, CO to work on the missile bases for Eby Construction Company out of Buckley Air Force Base doing finish interior work.
Gary began dating Sherilyn Frech of Carmen, OK, which sparked a long distance relationship. In fall of 1962, he moved to Wichita, Kansas and began working for Eby Construction at a job site in Norwich doing timekeeping and cost accounting for the job site. While in Wichita, Gary would travel every weekend from Wichita to Carmen to see Sherilyn.
Gary and Sherilyn were married on September 12,1964, at the Carmen United Methodist Church, in Carmen, OK. After the wedding, the couple lived in Denver, CO and Gary continued working for Eby Construction until he was hired by Ken R. White Company, a company built elevators all over the country. While working there, Gary decided to take a drafting course at a Denver vocational school.
In 1966, Gary was hired by Tools for Bending in Denver, where he was a drafting and tool designer. Tools for Bending manufactured aircraft and automobile tubing parts that were mainly sold to manufacturers in Detroit, Michigan. Gary worked here for 10 years. While living in Colorado, the couple was blessed with the birth of two children, their daughter Monica and son Roger.
In 1974, the family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, after Gary took a job with Pearl Equipment Company where he sold tools, tube bending machines and cut-off saws to manufacturing companies. The couple lived in Nashville for four years. During his travels selling machines to manufacturers, Gary became acquainted with Duraform, a manufacturing company in Clearwater, Kansas. Wanting to be closer to family, the couple decided to relocate to Kansas.
In 1978, Gary and Sherilyn moved their family to Clearwater, KS. Gary took a job with Bend Rite where he specialized in tool bending and building parts. In 1981, Gary went to work for Southern Kansas Telephone Company as an engineering assistant for plant operations. He worked at SKT until 2006 when he retired after 25 years of service. While living in Clearwater, the couple were active members of the Clearwater United Methodist Church where Gary served on several boards and volunteered on many mission trips. He was also an active member of the Clearwater Lions Club.
In October of 2025, the couple moved into the Dove Estates in Goddard, Kansas and both were enjoying the company of many friends and all the activities offered.
Gary was preceded in death by his parents Raymond and Virginia Ward; an infant brother Jerry, sister, Rennie Ann Jones, and sister-in-law Tish Ward. He is survived by his wife Sherilyn; daughter Monica (Greg) Mikesell of Parker, CO; son Roger of Goddard, KS, three grandchildren Mallory, Marlee and Madox Mikesell, brother Terry Ward and sister-in-law Shari Boelke, and brother-in-law Kenny Jones.
Funeral: Friday, January 2, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., at The Clearwater United Methodist Church, 130 N, 1st St., Clearwater, KS, 67026.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Clearwater United Methodist Church or The Clearwater Lions Club.
