Charline Wilder-Ward

Charline L. Wilder-Ward, 78, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 16, at Arbor Trace.


She was born March 5, 1930, in Evarts, Kentucky to Floyd and Minnie Sue Madden Lewis. She graduated the Pine Mountain Settlement School in Kentucky and lived in the Richmond area since 1948. She earned a bachelors degree in Social Work, studying at Eastern Kentucky University, Ball State University and IU East. She taught Special Education students at Boston, Riley and Nicholson schools before her retirement in the early 1980s. She also taught Adult Basic Education at Richmond State Hospital.


Charline was faithful to the Lord. She was a member of the Hopewell United Methodist Church and was an active ambassador of Christ, witnessing in nursing homes, hospitals, with her bus ministry and as a local organizer for the National Day of Prayer. She was active with the Red Bird Mission and did mission work on Sioux reservations out west. She enjoyed going to flea markets and attending court trials.


Charline will be missed by her husband, Rev. Tom Ward, whom she married March 5, 2004; her daughters, Cathy Stanton and Phronia Kramarczyk and her husband, Steve, all of Richmond; a sister, Maxine Ball, of Hamilton, Ohio; 5 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren; 5 step-grandchildren and a very special friend, Joan Ripley of Richmond.


Charline was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband of 49 years, Arch Wilder, on August 19, 1997; an infant brother, and her dog, Sugar.


Charline's home going will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 20, in the Pine Mountain Chapel, with interment to follow on Pine Mountain in Harlan County, Kentucky.


Family and friends may gather for visitation from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, December 18, at the Smith & McQuiston Funeral Home, 321 US 27 South, Fountain City.


Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the charitable organization of the donor's choice.