Nancy Lou French Ward, 82, Died; Teacher, “Their love story began in Westport”
Nancy Lou French Ward, 82, of Washington Court House, Ohio, died Wednesday, March 9, 2022 at the First Community Village in Columbus, where she had been residing the past four years.
Nancy was born June 1, 1939, in New Holland, Ohio to Darrell Chase and Jean Benham French.
She grew up in Wilmington, Ohio where her family owned the Murphy-Benham Hardware. She was a graduate of Wilmington High School and attended Stephens College before graduating from The Ohio State University with a degree in education.
Nancy loved to have dinner parties with friends, play tennis and bridge, was an avid reader, and was very engaged in the community. She was a proud and active member of St. Colman of Cloyne Catholic Church and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. She loved to sing in the St. Colman choir.
Nancy had served on the Washington City School Board of Education. She was a member of Phi Beta Psi Sorority, where she was very involved with the Antique Show. If you were looking for a volunteer for a community project, you only had to call Nancy and she would be right there.
She loved to travel and was lucky to have visited so many places in the world, enjoying her time in Europe and especially England. She also helped design and decorate two new-build homes and loved to help others with design.
Nancy also enjoyed trading in the stock market and was a dedicated Buckeyes fan and a huge supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals (Who Dey!). Nancy loved to dance and to sing and was always at home on the stage.
Nancy was preceded in death by her loving husband, James F. Ward, on November 7, 2016. Their love story began in Westport, Connecticut when Nancy was a young teacher and Jim, who was raised there, lived next door.
Nancy and Jim were married on August 17, 1963, in Wilmington, Ohio. They went on to live in Wilmington, Cincinnati, West Palm Beach, Fla., Cupertino, Ca., and finally settled in Washington Court House, Ohio in 1971, where they together owned and operated French Hardware. Nancy had also been a teacher at the Sunnyside School where she enjoyed working with her students very much.
In addition to her husband, Nancy preceded in death by an infant son, James F. Ward, Jr.; her parents; a brother, John C. (Jack) French; and a nephew, Rob French.
She is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Douglas J. and Dana Ward of Glenview, Ill., Matthew C. and Dawn Ward of Canton, Mich., and David M. and Kelly Ward of Grandview Heights, Ohio. She was a loving Nana to eight grandchildren, Ella, Chase, Amelia, Katherine, Madeline, Maggie, Audrey, and James Ward. She is also survived by special cousins, Charles and Helen Claibourne, David (Erin) Claibourne and Mark (Jenni) Claibourne; special nephew, Scott French; sisters-in-law, Joan (Phil) Lauterbach and Jackie (Dave) Lapic; and four nieces and a nephew, along with their children.
The funeral mass will be celebrated Saturday, March 12, 2022, at 11 a.m. at the St. Colman of Cloyne Catholic Church, 219 S. North St., Washington Court House, Ohio by the Rev. Father Cyrus Haddad, pastor at the church. Burial will follow in the Sugar Grove Cemetery in Wilmington, Ohio.
Friends may call at the Kirkpatrick Funeral Home in Washington Court House Friday from 4-6 p.m. where a Rosary service will be held Friday at 6 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Vincent dePaul Society, 219 S. North St., Washington Court House, OH 43160. www.kirkpatrickfuneralhome.com
Kindergarten Registration Continues for Westport’s Future Scholars
The 2022-2023 Kindergarten Registration is underway. If your child turns five years of age on or before January 1, 2023, please register him/her as soon as possible. Registering now allows the District to optimally plan for your new kindergartener. All registration information is located on the district website under the Kindergarten Registration link on the homepage. Kindergarten Registration
Guardians are invited to attend a virtual informational meeting about Kindergarten in Westport on March 16 from 9:30-10:30. Families can access this Zoom webinar. Information for the webinar is below:
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
Kindergarten Parent Orientation
Passcode: 356608
Or One tap mobile:
US: +13017158592,,86137473051# or +13126266799,,86137473051#
Or Telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 6833
Webinar ID: 861 3747 3051
In May, an orientation session will occur at your child’s elementary school. At that time, you will have an opportunity to hear more details about Kindergarten from kindergarten teachers and other staff members. A school specific invitation will be sent to all registered kindergarten families. If you are unsure about the elementary school your child should attend, please go to our school locator website.
If you need further assistance, please contact the Superintendent’s office at (203) 341-1026.
Morning Weather Report
Today
Patchy freezing fog before 7am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight
Rain likely, mainly after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. Southeast wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Tomorrow
Rain before 5pm, then a chance of rain and snow. Temperature rising to near 49 by 10am, then falling to around 38 during the remainder of the day. Breezy, with a northeast wind 6 to 11 mph becoming northwest 17 to 22 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Tomorrow Night
A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly before 7pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 19. Breezy, with a west wind around 22 mph, with gusts as high as 43 mph.
First Selectwoman Announces Traffic Concerns Conversations with Westporters by RTM District
First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker has announced that, in coordination with the Public Works, Planning & Zoning and Public Safety Departments, she has scheduled a series of meetings with residents of each RTM district to discuss some of the concerns facing residents in dealing with traffic, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and the steps Town officials are taking with respect to those issues.
Included in these discussions will be officials and employees who are experienced in traffic management, knowledgeable of roadway conditions, engineering, and possible speed calming solutions, as well as the regulations and oversight authority of the Town.
Having these meetings will provide an opportunity for residents of each RTM district to talk about problems they are facing in their particular area and ask questions about possible solutions.
While certain information applies town-wide, and residents may attend any of the meetings, traffic conditions and issues are different for each neighborhood. All interested residents are encouraged to attend the meeting specific to their neighborhood/district. They will have the opportunity to express concerns and gain knowledge about what steps may be feasible or are already in progress to help manage and mitigate traffic issues. Solving the traffic issues in Town will not happen overnight, but these sessions are an essential first step.
These meeting will take place in person on Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM in the Town Hall Auditorium as follows:
Thursday, March 17, 2022: District 1
Thursday, March 24, 2022: District 4
Thursday, April 7, 2022: District 6
Thursday, April 14, 2022: District 7
Thursday, April 21, 2022: District 8
Thursday, April 28, 2022: District 9
Thursday, May 5, 2022: District 2
Thursday, May 12, 2022: District 3
Thursday, May 19, 2022: District 5
Thursday, May 26, 2022: Make Up
To view a Town of Westport map by election voting district click here