Louise R. Ward Dies At 53

Louise R. Ward

Louise R. Ward of East Hampton died at Southampton Hospital on Tuesday, March 1, after her long battle with cancer. She was 53.

Born October 12, 1957, in Nashville, Tennessee, to Dr. Stanley E. Moody Sr. and Geraldine M. Moody, she was one of seven siblings. Her family moved to Maine and settled in the town of Machiasport. Ms. Ward graduated from Washington Academy High School and went on to become a nurse.

Ms. Ward worked at the Downeast Community Hospital as a nurse for many years, along with her mother. She and her family eventually moved to Montauk, and later to East Hampton. In 1991, she started taking in foster children. She always loved children and found her niche loving and nourishing children who were sick. She always thought she could mend broken or lost souls and would always help anyone who needed help. After many years of taking in foster children, she and her husband started to adopt children. She never turned anyone away and always had an open door policy. If anyone needed a place to stay she would let him or her stay. She always put others ahead of herself, said survivors.

In 1996, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She never questioned, “why me,” but lived by the credo, “why not me.” She fought long and hard. During those years she adopted 11 children. It brought her great joy to be able to raise such a big family. Many people in the community knew her as “mom” or “mom Louise.”

She is survived by her husband Steve; children, Tiffany King, Matthew Morgan, Nicholas M. Ward Sr., Robert Kabisch, Christopher Ward, Samantha Ward, Shawn Ward, David Ward, Antwon Ward, Steven Ward, Lucus Ward, Nicholas S. Ward, Kaelyn Ward, Sadie Ward, and Alexis Ward; three daughters-in-law, Carla Morgan, Marcela Ward and Jessica Bennett; one son-in-law, Thomas “Mike” King Sr.; six grandchildren, Thomas King Jr., Quincy King, Sarah Morgan, Jaime Morgan, Nicholas Ward Jr., and Dylan Ward; siblings, Nadine Moody, Stanley Moody Jr., and John Moody; two nieces, Heather and Michelle Moody; and four nephews, Matthew Moody, Andrew Moody, Phillip Moody Jr. and William Moody Jr. She was predeceased by siblings, Gail Moody, Phillip Moody Sr. and William Moody Sr.

A memorial service for Ms. Ward was held Sunday, March 6, at the Jewish Center of the Hamptons. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Yardley & Pino Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Ward children’s education fund in care of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons, P.O. Box 5107, East Hampton, NY 11937, or the East Hampton Day Care Learning Center, in care of Maureen Wikane, P.O. Box 63, East Hampton, NY 11937 would be appreciated by the family.