Raymond Ward

    Raymond “Chan” Ward, 81, of 3714 North Shore Drive, Clear Lake, died Wednesday, July 20, 2011, at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City, Iowa.
    A memorial service was held Tuesday, July 26, at the Evangelical Free Church, Clear Lake, with the Rev. Randy Vaage officiating.  Inurnment will take place at a later date. 
    Memorials may be directed to Opportunity Village or Hospice of North Iowa.

    Raymond “Chan” Ward was born Nov. 1, 1929, in Wesley, Iowa, the son of George and Edith Ward.  He attended country school near Wesley and graduated from Wesley High School in 1947.  Chan married Rosemary Olsen in June of 1950 in Clear Lake.  He was a dairy distributor for Farmer’s Co-op Dairy, Marigold Dairy and Kemps Dairy for 34 years, retiring in 1992.  Chan was the manager of Lakeside Acres Mobile Home Park for 10 years before moving to their home at 3714 North Shore Drive.
    Chan and Rosemary enjoyed traveling and spending the winter months in Fort Myers Beach, Fla.  Chatting with and getting to know people wherever he went was Chan’s favorite pastime.  He was sincerely interested in other’s life stories and he loved to share stories of his own.  His smile and friendly nature were well known in Clear Lake.  During his years as a milkman he became a close and trusted friend of generations of full-time and summer residents.
    Chan is survived by his wife, Rosemary; son Douglas (Linda) Ward of Clear Lake; daughter Diane (David) Parks of Clear Lake; son David (Jacque) of Monroe, Conn.; six grandchildren, Adam Tyler of Clear Lake, Amanda (Peter) Chidister of North Liberty, Iowa, Dustin (Melodee) Ward of Fertile, Iowa, Christopher (Abigail) Ward of Glen Allen, Va., Benjamin Ward of Morristown, N.J. and Casey (Rodrigo) Ward of Danbury, Conn.; three step-grandchildren, Vicki (Nick) Murphy of London, UK, Davi (Bob) Jakl of Chicago, Ill., and Zach Parks of Kansas City, Mo.; eight great-granchildren, Ivy Hogg, Abbie and Olivia Chidister, Samuel and Eliza Ward, CeAnn and Travis Jakl and Leo Henry Murphy.
    Chan was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Donald Ward; sisters, Ruth Nuehring and Dorothy Haag; and nephews, Don Shahan and Monte Haag.