Orville L.”Yogi” “Pee Wee” Ward, 83, of Owensboro passed away on Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at Signature Healthcare of Hartford. He was born October 20, 1938 in Whitesville to the late Marvin L. Ward and Lessie Evans Ward. Orville was a wonderful Christian man of the Baptist faith and a member of First Freewill Baptist Church. He was a husband, dad, papaw and great-papaw. Orville worked at Fields Packing Co. for many years and he also worked for Fineburg in Memphis, Tennessee and then a Grits driver for six years. He loved the public. Orville loved fishing, yard sales, auctions, making many things out of wood, golf balls, and walnuts. He loved to smile and make people laugh. Orville was a fan of UK basketball and football. He enjoyed lawn mower racing, NASCAR, women’s softball, little league baseball, and being a softball umpire.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Frieda Moorman Ward; brothers, Donald Ward, James “P.I.” Ward, and Thomas Ward; and a sister, Patricia Ward.
Those left to honor and cherish his memory are his children, Jeff Ward, Susan Moore (Denver), and Roger Ward; two grandchildren, Clay Ward (Morgan) of Mississippi and Rachel Ward of Memphis; great-grandchildren, Rylee Ward of Mississippi, Emma Singleton and Dilynn Singleton, both of Arkansas and Harmony and Malcolm; step-grandchildren, Cheyenne, Kyle and Sierra of Madisonville; sisters, Ozella Jennings, Mary Lee May, and Ruth Deanie Smiley; mother-in-law, Marjorie Moorman; sisters-in-law, Linda Wagner (Jerry) and Ann Ward; and lots of nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Bells Run Cemetery in Hartford. Visitation is from 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. until service time on Saturday at the church. Cecil Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
The family would like to thank the nurses and CNA’s at Signature Healthcare of Harford that took very good care of Orville including Dawn, Riley, Jackie (his favorite nurse) and the others that are too many to name.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to Signature Healthcare of Hartford, 14 E McMurtry Ave, Hartford, KY 42347.