Rev. H. Blair Ward

The Rev. H. Blair Ward, 79, of Meadville, formerly of Guys Mills, died Thursday, May 28, 1987, at Meadville Medical Center following a brief illness.

Rev. Ward was born in Buckhannon, WV, July 5, 1907, a son of James Festus and Emma Viola Hughes Ward.  He married M. Edwinna Wilson in 1933.  She preceded him in death in 1963.

He received his bachelor of arts degree from Eastern Nazarene College, Wollaston, MA and his master's of religious education from the Bibical Seminary of New York University, New York City.

He was a pastor in the Church of the Nazarene holding pastorates in Belmore, NY, Brooklyn, NY, Providence, RI, Warren, Toronto, Ontario, Hamilton, Ontario, Akron, OH, South Portland, ME, Portland, ME and Livermore Falls, ME.  He also had substituted for pastors of several denominations in the Meadville area.

He had served as the church's district superintendent for the Canada Central District from 1955 to 1961 and oversaw the union of the Gospel Workers Church with the Church of the Nazarene.  He was president of Canadian Nazarene College from 1961 to 1962.  He had served as a supply minister at parishes in the eastern United States and Canada.  He was a trustee of Eastern Nazarene College for 30 years and had served as president of the Maine Civic League.  He also had snug in a quartet with gospel singer George Beverly Shea.

Survivors include two sons, H. Blair Ward, Jr. of Guys Mills and Charles Wilson Ward of Houston, TX; one daughter, Patricia Ann Ward of Glen Ellyn, IL; one sister, Wilda W. Hagen of Akron, OH; one brother, Karl Ward of Lansdale and three grandchildren.

Services were held at Waid Funeral Home.

Interment was in Heavner Cemetery, Buckhannon, WV.