RUTH SORENSON WARD

Ruth Sorenson Ward
Beloved Mom

Our dear mother, grandmother and friend, Ruth Ailene Sorenson Ward, returned peacefully to the loving arms of her Heavenly Father Tuesday August 23, 2005, after a lifetime of service and devotion to God and family.

Ruth was born January 4, 1933 in Salt Lake City to Cecil Reed Sorenson and Martha Walters Douglas Sorenson. Ruth, her brother and two sisters (Marilyn, Reed and Louise) were raised in Salt Lake City, except for summers spent on the large family wheat farm west of Malad, Idaho, which was homesteaded by her father’s family around 1918. Ruth loved her days on the farm. She graduated from East High School and attended the University of Utah. She married James Noal Ward in the Salt Lake Temple on December 5, 1952. James preceded her in death May 28, 1991.

Ruth’s children and grandchildren were her pride and joy. She found great contentment in always learning, doing, and serving, and she savored the ordinary pleasures best, like music, crochet work, scrapbooking and conversations with her friends and family. She thrilled to travel many countries around the world in recent years, including Greece, Turkey, Israel, Alaska, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Many gospel and historical topics of learning captivated Ruth’s interest. She liked to follow the events of the day and discuss how they fit in God’s great play. She showed her knowledge and faith by her many works, serving diligently in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Primary, Sunday School, Young Women’s organization and in several ward choirs. She served the past 10 years as a temple ordinance worker in the Jordan River Temple and more recently as a part-time service missionary and hostess at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and Temple Square, where she greeted people from around the world.

In recent years Ruth lived in a beautiful area in the southwest part of the valley, where it was her great blessing to meet and befriend many wonderful people in her ward. She will be greatly missed by friends and family.

Ruth is survived by her children, Mark Ward (Aimee) of South Jordan, Joan Hogan, (Steve) of Woods Cross, Jennifer D’Ambrosia (Ricardo) of Mesa, Arizona and Matthew Ward (Angela) of America Fork, and by her 16 grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Marilyn Miller (Bill) of Crest Valley, California.

Funeral services will be Saturday, August 27, 2005 at 12:00 noon at the Riverton Utah Parkway Ward L.D.S. meeting house, 1208 West 12400 South, Riverton Utah. Viewing at 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. prior to the services. Interment, Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park.