Douglas Ray Ward

Douglas Ray Ward passed on the torch in the fight against ALS (Lou Gehrig's) disease in the early morning hours of May 6, 2021.

He leaves behind his wife of 51 years, Debra Lamb Ward, his only child, Melissa Ann Jackson, His Favorite Son-In-Law, Tom Jackson, his beloved Granddaughter Rebecca Ann Ybarra, Best Tool Buddy, Andrew Burger, Brother, David Lee Ward ( Tammy), Sister, Betty Britt (Jack), a handful of nieces and nephews, as well as, a plethora of friends, who were family.

Born September 16, 1950 in Lumberton,NC to the late Rufus "Buddy" Ward and Margelene Tyner Morris, "Doug" moved his young family to Fayetteville in 1973 to further his 52 year career with North Carolina Natural Gas (Piedmont). He was the encyclopedia of knowledge of the Fayetteville and surrounding areas gas lines. He started off the books digging ditches for the gas company at the age of 17, putting in the work to absorb all the knowledge he could and move throughout different positions through his years there. He sacrificed many hours of his life and included his family in being that go-to, will-do employee. Everyone at the gas company, in his eyes were extended family.

At work or at home he was a kind, loving, intelligent, hard working, family man who loved everything life had to offer. He was a jack of all trades, a lover of the beach, a man that would help anyone he could, the perfect listener and always your biggest fan.He cherished his softball days with the county leagues and coaching his daughters teams when she was old enough to play. He was a "Daddy" to many of those children as well. He never met a stranger and those who were lucky enough to know him, loved him dearly.

Doug was not finished with life and fought ALS until his very last moments. He was something to everyone, and everything to some. In lieu of flowers, donations in honor of Doug can be made to the Chapel Hill ALS Clinic.

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