Wilburn “Jack” Ward

Posted 07/2009

Wilburn “Jack” Ward, age 71, VP-4 1964-66, formerly of Cherrylog, Georgia, died on Thursday, June 18, 2009, at his home in Willow, Alaska. Born on February 28, 1938 in Cherokee, North Carolina, he was the son of the late Clarence E. Ward and Julia (Dotson) Ward Sane. He spent his boyhood years in the Loudon, TN area. As a young teen he moved to Cherrylog, Georgia. He joined the US Navy at age 17 and following a 10-year military career, which included a tour with VP-4 as an AMS2 1964-66, he settled in New Paris, Ohio. In 1991, he followed his lifelong dream and relocated to America’s Last Frontier, Alaska, where he conducted a remote fishing transport business, meeting travelers and fellow wilderness lovers from all over the world and entertaining them with stories as his adopted persona, “Sourdough Jack”. He spent summers in a remote lakeside cabin which he built on land that he cleared, living simply without electric and running water. He loved exploring remote Alaska by snow machines and ATVs.Preceded in death by his first wife, Violet Chapman Ward; brothers, Herbert C., James, and Hershel Ward; and sister, Katherine Lankford. Survivors include wife, Cheryl Ward of Willow, Alaska; daughters: Elizabeth J. Demeritte of Hallandale, FL; Laura A. (John) Toschlog of New Paris, OH; and Helen M. Schultheiss of Fairfield, OH; son, Michael E. (Anice) Ward of Woodstock, GA; stepchildren: Lori E. (Bob) Newport of Cincinnati, OH; and Andy (Heather) Bittner of Cedar Grove, IN; brothers: William (Betty) Ward of Lenoir City, TN; Clarence Ward, Jr. of Loudon, TN; Freddy Ward of Loudon, TN; sisters, Helen R. Stevens of Lenoir City, TN; Violet Ward Arden of Loudon, TN; and Susan Stanley of Ellijay, GA; grandchildren: Seth, Lucas, and Stephen Frazee, and Christine and Edwin Demeritte; Michael (Julie) and Emma Toschlog; Jacob and Emily Ward; Courtney Hammons and Sydney Schultheiss; and Rachel Newport; great-grandchildren, Madison Hammons-Ewers, and Henry Toschlog. Funeral Services will be held Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 4:00 P.M., from the Logan Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Tommy L. Kyle officiating. The family will receive friends on Thursday, June 25, 2009 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Logan Funeral Home. Interment will be at Stanley Creek Church of Christ Cemetery with Military Honors by the North Georgia Honor Guard.