Mervel Alan “Skip” Ward

Mervel Alan “Skip” Ward, Sr., 83 of Stuttgart, passed peacefully into God’s loving presence on Thursday, September 11, 2025. He was born in Clarendon, Arkansas on August 6, 1942 to James Arthur Ward, Sr. and Bessie Lee Brewer. He graduated from Clarendon High School in 1960, and he began working for Layne-Arkansas. 

  In 1962, he met the love of his life on a blind date at the skating rink in Clarendon and soon married Carol Barbara Lacy of Stuttgart on January 5, 1963. The couple enjoyed fifty-seven years of married life until her passing on February 21, 2020.

  Shortly after marriage, Skip moved his employment to Riceland Foods Parboil Plant where he would retire as a mill supervisor after thirty-eight years. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and dear friend to many during his lifetime. 

  He was preceded in death by his parents; five brothers - James Arthur “Jimmy” Ward, Jr., John Lester Ward, Sr., Clarence Stanley Ward, Sr., Howard Douglas Ward, and Carlton Everett Ward; and one sister - Betty Louise “Tommie” Ross; and two granddaughters - Nikki Helms-Schwab and Danielle Nicole White. 

  He is survived by his children, LeeAnn Ward-Morgan, Mervel Alan Ward, Jr., and Denise Ward-Henley. He adored his grandchildren, Kelli Michelle (Robert) Martin, Spencer Alan (Jessica) White, and Candace Brooke (Blake) Brents; and his six great-grandchildren. He is also survived by two brothers - Kenneth Charles Ward and Raymond Henry Ward, and two sisters - Grace Elizabeth Ragan and Marian Frances Boyster. 

  He was a hardworking man at everything he set his mind to doing and enjoyed spending time with his family and friends while bowling, camping, fishing, hunting, traveling, and pushing those buttons while drinking his coffee at the casino. 

  The family wishes to thank all medical personnel at WalMart Pharmacy Stuttgart, Baptist Health Stuttgart, CARTI Stuttgart, and especially his Hospice Home Health team at Crestpark-DeWitt. Knowing how much each of you cared for him made it so comforting to see he was surrounded by love until the very end. 

  He was cremated, and per his final wishes, there will not be a memorial service.

  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his honor to the ABCD Memorial Scholarship, P.O. Box 34, Humphrey, AR, 72073.