Clyde Maxwell “Max” Ward, 85, a native of Guilford County and a resident of Burlington, N.C., died Friday, Oct. 12, 2007, at the Twin Lakes Retirement Center after several years of declining health.
He was the owner and founder of Max Ward Delmar Studios (now Lifetouch Inc.). His professional affiliations included the Professional School Photographers Association and the Photo Marketing Association.
He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was a member of the Bula Masonic Lodge 409 AF & AM. He graduated from Elon College with an BA in Business Administration in 1949 and continued his involvement with the school throughout his lifetime serving on the Board of Trustees (active 1977-93, emeritus 1993-present), assisted with the Order of the Oak, had a Leadership role in the Pride campaign of the late 1970s, served as Honorary Coach of the Golf team, won the Distinguished Service to Elon Athletics Award in 1982, and was a parent of a graduate (William Hunt Ward, class of 1982) and a grandfather of a student (Cynthia Nicole Ward, class of 2011).
He was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde and Esther Ward; an infant daughter; a son, Donald DeCoursey Ward; and a sister, Martha W. Smith.
Survivors include his wife, Cynthia Fertig Ward; three sons, George Maxwell “Mike” Ward of Daphne, Clyde Patrick “Pat” (Mary) Ward of Boydton, Va., and William Hunt (Julia) Ward of Burlington, N.C.; five grandchildren, Rachel W. (Sam) Bailey of Bay Minette, Bethany W. (Matt) Ford of Daphne, Sean Patrick Ward, Cynthia Nicole Ward and William Hunt Ward Jr., all of Burlington; great-grandchildren, Samantha, Connor and Devyn Bailey, Max and Ellye Ford, Grayson and Patrick Ward; two brothers, W.H. “Wink” (Maxine) Ward and Arnold H. (Helen) Ward; and a sister, Elaine W. Thomas.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16 at Rich and Thompson Mortuary in Burlington, N.C.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17 at the Twin Lakes Chapel, followed by a reception in the Terrace at Twin Lakes.
The family requests memorial donations be made to the Max Ward Golf Scholarship, c/o Phoenix Club of Elon University, Campus Box 2500, Elon, NC 27244, or the Max Ward Chapel Endowment Fund, Twin Lakes Community, 100 Wade Coble Drive, Burlington, NC 27215.
Arrangements are by Rich & Thompson Funeral Service, Burlington, N.C. Condolences may be sent to info@richandthompson.com.
