Joseph Sharpe Ward

Joseph Sharpe Ward, 78, of Settlemyre Road, Drexel, NC, died Friday, October 31, 2008 at his residence. Born in Burke County, NC on July 28, 1930, he was the son of the late William Leith Ward and Hettie Elizabeth McGalliard Ward. Joseph was a member of First Baptist Church of Drexel. He was a graduate of Morganton High School and served four years in the U. S. Navy stationed in Newfoundland after serving on the USS Taconic. He was a former employee of Lazarus Men’s Store, 100 West Union, and spent 27 years as a parts manager for Giles Motors.Joseph is survived by his wife Franceleen Powell Ward of the home; daughters, Dawn Ward Cline and husband, Mike, and Libby Ward Waters and husband, Mickey, all of Morganton; grandsons, Neil Arney and fiancée, Pam Hicks, and Kyle Arney and fiancée, Sara Kral, all of Morganton; a brother, Charles Ward and wife, Penny, of Morganton; and a sister, Anne Ward McGalliard or Morganton Long Term Care.In addition to his parents, Joseph was preceded in death by a brother, Luther Alexander "L.A." Ward of Morganton, and by an infant brother that died at birth.The funeral will be held at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, November 2, 2008 at First Baptist Church of Drexel with Reverends Tito Madrazo and Bob Devinney officiating. Burial will follow in Drexel Memorial Park with military honors to be performed by Valdese American Legion Post #234. The family will receive friends Saturday evening from 7:00 until 9:00 p.m. at Sossoman Funeral Home where the body will remain until placed in the church thirty minutes prior to the funeral hour. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Burke Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Road, Valdese, NC 28690 or the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509New York, NY 10018. Sossoman Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.The family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Leon Goudas and the staff of Burke Hospice and Palliative Care and also Burt Montcrief of Burke Primary for their wonderful care. They would also like to thank the family and friends for their loyal support during this period of declining health.