Rev. John P Ward

It is with great sadness that the family of Reverend John P. Ward announces his passing on Friday, November 2, 2018.  

John (Jack) Ward was born in Bayonne, NJ on May 16, 1938 to Charles S. Ward Sr. and Mary (Mae) Brand. He was the youngest of siblings Margaret (m. Charles Famula), Anne (m. David von Schaumburg) and Charles. 

 He was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest on May 22, 1965, and served throughout the Camden Diocese until his retirement in 2010. He was a senior priest at Sacred Heart Parish, Vineland, from 2006 until his retirement. He previously served as senior priest at St. Agnes, Blackwood, 2004-2006 and was a pastor of St. Edward Parish, Pine Hill, 1992-2004.

He was parochial vicar at Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Cape May Court House, 1965; Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Berlin, 1965-1967; St. Agnes, Blackwood, 1967-1968; St. Theresa, Bridgeton, 1968-1971; St. Charles Borromeo, Washington Township, 1971-1978; Sacred Heart, Mount Ephraim, 1978-1981; and Corpus Christi, Carneys Point, 1988-1992. He also served as Cape May area chaplain and parochial vicar in residence at Our Lady of the Angels, 1981-1988 and a member of the Common Policy for Pastoral Marriage Preparation.

Father Ward felt especially called to serve his local community. His heart went to helping those marginalized and in spiritual need. What stands out prominently and will leave a lasting impact was his humility and his capacity to love people fully and completely.

He will be forever loved by his surviving friends and family, including Stephen Bates; the Famulas: John and Roberta, Charles and Ruth, Mary Beth, Cathy and Frank Belgiovene; the von Schaumburgs: David and Kayla, Mark and Rita, Bob and Deb, Tom and Georgia, Mike and Jamie, Anne and David, Dan and Tonni, E.J. and Kristin; 30 great-nieces/nephews and 11 great-great nieces/nephews. 

‘Uncle Jack’ will be remembered for his playful sense of humor with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, his baking skills, his love of theater, travel, and friendship, the joyful and loving way he expressed his faith, and the integral role he played in the major life transitions of many members throughout four generations of the family. His great joy was to make people know they were loved without concern for his own needs.

A celebration of Rev. John Ward’s life will be held on Friday, November 9, 2018.  A viewing from 9:00AM to 11:00AM at Gosselin Funeral Home 660 New Dover Road, Edison, NJ followed by a 11:45am Mass at St. John Vianney Church in Colonia (the same church where he said his first Mass).   Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington, NJ.

Memorial donations in memory of Rev. John P. Ward can be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. michaeljfox.org/.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rev. John P Ward, please visit our floral store.