Obituary of Harold Karl Ward Sr.

HAROLD KARL WARD, SR. (29 January 1949 – 19 December 2020) Born Harald Karl Weber in Salzburg, Austria in 1949 to Elfriede Weber. At the age of ten, Harald moved to the United States with his military stepfather, mother, and three younger siblings. In 1967, he petitioned for his naturalization and subsequently changed his name to match that of his stepfather, James Ward to Harold Karl Ward Sr. On the 27th of December 1967, Harold joined the Army and completed his basic combat training at Fort Polk, Louisiana with advanced training at Fort Benning, Georgia where he would become a wheel and track vehicle mechanic. Harold would go on to serve his country in combat during operations in the Republic of Vietnam from 31 July 1968 until 10 March 1970. Harold would go on to serve a total of 20 years and 9 months between his Enlisted and Warrant Officer Ranks. After his return from Vietnam, he would marry his lifelong sweetheart, Glory LaVernell Simpson, on the 15th of March 1970 and would remain married to her for over 50 years. During their lifelong marriage, Harold and LaVernell would have three biological children as well as adopting two more from LaVernell’s younger sister. Harold is survived by his wife, Glory L. Ward of DeRidder, LA; children, Connie Lopresti and husband, Jim of Huntsville, Al, Rhonda Allen and husband, Terry of Copperas Cove, TX, Harold Ward Jr., and wife, Lisa of Littleton, NC, Brenda Ward of DeRidder, LA and David Ward of DeRidder, LA; two sisters, Eva Blatchley and husband Peter of Colorado and Liz Elliot of DeRidder, LA; two brothers, Reinhold Schwaighofer and wife Renata of Austria and Jimmy Ward and wife Christa of Rosepine, LA; sixteen grandchildren; six great-grandchildren and one great great-grandson. He is preceded in death by his mother Elfriede and stepfather James: as well as two sisters, Barbra Harbison and husband Jackie Cantrell and Christine Cox and husband Larry. Funeral services will be on Tuesday, January 5, 2021 at 10:00 A.M. at the DeRidder Funeral Home with Rev. Jason Hoychek officiating. Burial will follow in the Old Cypress Cemetery under the direction of the DeRidder Funeral Home. Visitation will be on Monday, January 4, 2021 from 5:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M., at the funeral home.