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Click Here to read Ralph Ward's Memoirs (24 pages)
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Ralph Eugene Ward - born: May 2, 1919
Ralph is the seventh and last child of Daniel "Dolph" Rodolph and Fannie Boydstun Ward. He was born in Beaver County, OK. Ralph moved to Denver when he was nine where he finished grade school and 3 years of high school before leaving school and going to work during the depression.
While in Denver he met his future wife Pearl Lewis and they married in Denver on August 29, 1940. Pearl attended the University of Denver for one year before their marriage and one year after. Their son Paul Ralph was born on February 25, 1942. Homer writes in his memoirs about brother Ralph "between Ralph and Pearl they became an example to all of us for pure ambition, enthusiasm and determination. Ralph worked for Gates Rubber for a while, they bought a house in Denver, then, lo and behold, they sold their home as Ralph asked for a transfer from Gates to work in their plant in Los Angeles. They left their friends and family and launched out on their own.... Homer marveled about how much they were able to accomplish in their lifetime and enjoying it to the utmost."
Ralph and Pearl moved to Los Angeles so they could continue their undergraduate work at Pepperdine College. Ralph graduated in 1949 with a bachelors of science in business. Pearl graduated in 1951 and went on to complete her Masters Degree in Library Science. She returned to Pepperdine as head librarian. Afterwards, she began work on a PhD while working at various libraries. She completed her degree in 1969 and began teaching at the University of Southern California. Pearl retired in 1978.
Ralph bought a small business called A 1 School Equipment in 1960. He expanded the business over the years, having 25 employees at its peak, moving it from Los Angeles to larger quarters in Santa Fe Springs, (a suburb of L.A.). The business concentrated on manufacturing chalkboards and bulletin boards for schools and industry. Ralph sold the Equipment Company and retired in 1977. The business still exists to this day.
After retirement Ralph and Pearl moved to the high desert, Aguanga, CA, SE of Hemet. They lived there for 18 years and during those years they traveled to Europe and the Middle East many times. They also hosted many family and friends at their retreat.
In 2000, they reluctantly sold their desert property and moved to Redlands, CA to be near Paul and his wife Maureen. They have continued limited traveling and taking in Senior Center, especially a current events class where Pearl has been the moderator.
Ralph and Pearl’s home continues to be a gathering place for their immediate family; including children and grandchildren of Pearl’s sister as they most everyone lives in the general Los Angeles area. Most years the family gathers at their home for Easter, summer birthdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Ralph died July 31, 2011. He was the last surviving sibling. Pearl died July 20, 2016 at the age of 96. They were married 70 years.
Ralph and Pearl have one son, Paul Ralph Ward, born on February 25, 1942 in Denver, CO. Paul was two years old when the family moved to California. He attended public school in Los Angeles eventually graduating from Washington High and then graduating for UCLA in 1965.
Paul met his future wife, Jean Lowry while attending the Pepperdine campus Church of Christ in Los Angeles. They married on September 3, 1963 and then became students on the University of the Seven Seas, making a world tour from 1963 to 1964. Paul and Jean had two children, Sean Douglas Ward and Alisa Janine Ward.
Paul worked as a computer specialist for a number of years. The family traveled overseas because of Paul's work as Paul, Jean and Sean spent 2-1/2 years in Copenhagen, Denmark while working for UNIVAC. Paul and Jean divorced May 16, 1986. In 1992, Paul earned a law degree from California Western School of Law in San Diego. For two years, he taught part time at California Western School of Law. He now does appellate work for the State of California in Redlands, CA (as of 2020 he is retired). Paul is remarried to Maureen Arrigo (September 26, 1992). Maureen earned a J.D. from The University of San Diego School of Law and an LLM. from Yale University in 1997. She taught at California Western before attending Yale. Thereafter she worked for several California courts. She now works as an attorney editor for the California Supreme Court.
Sean Douglas Ward was born September 16, 1966 in Inglewood, CA. He graduated from San Diego State University in 1990 and worked as a computer specialist for Sun Microsystems. He went to England a couple of times for AMGEN. He currently works for Verizon and resides in Sherman Oaks, CA. Sean married Cyndie Hanes on March 25, 1998. They had only two years together before Cyndie developed breast cancer. Treatment couldn't defeat the cancer and she died February 3, 2000.
Alisa Janine Ward was born on July 27, 1976 in San Diego. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 2000. She married Ken Schwinn November 23, 2002 in San Diego. He was born February 5, 1971 in Fullerton, California. Alisa works as a computer specialist for SAIC which contracts to the U.S. Government. Ken also is a computer specialist and works for Eli Lilly in San Diego as a Senior Research Scientist.They have two children, Julianne Claire Schwinn born July 30, 2012 and Douglas Alexander Schwinn born February 15, 2017. The family resides in San Diego.
While in Denver he met his future wife Pearl Lewis and they married in Denver on August 29, 1940. Pearl attended the University of Denver for one year before their marriage and one year after. Their son Paul Ralph was born on February 25, 1942. Homer writes in his memoirs about brother Ralph "between Ralph and Pearl they became an example to all of us for pure ambition, enthusiasm and determination. Ralph worked for Gates Rubber for a while, they bought a house in Denver, then, lo and behold, they sold their home as Ralph asked for a transfer from Gates to work in their plant in Los Angeles. They left their friends and family and launched out on their own.... Homer marveled about how much they were able to accomplish in their lifetime and enjoying it to the utmost."
Ralph and Pearl moved to Los Angeles so they could continue their undergraduate work at Pepperdine College. Ralph graduated in 1949 with a bachelors of science in business. Pearl graduated in 1951 and went on to complete her Masters Degree in Library Science. She returned to Pepperdine as head librarian. Afterwards, she began work on a PhD while working at various libraries. She completed her degree in 1969 and began teaching at the University of Southern California. Pearl retired in 1978.
Ralph bought a small business called A 1 School Equipment in 1960. He expanded the business over the years, having 25 employees at its peak, moving it from Los Angeles to larger quarters in Santa Fe Springs, (a suburb of L.A.). The business concentrated on manufacturing chalkboards and bulletin boards for schools and industry. Ralph sold the Equipment Company and retired in 1977. The business still exists to this day.
After retirement Ralph and Pearl moved to the high desert, Aguanga, CA, SE of Hemet. They lived there for 18 years and during those years they traveled to Europe and the Middle East many times. They also hosted many family and friends at their retreat.
In 2000, they reluctantly sold their desert property and moved to Redlands, CA to be near Paul and his wife Maureen. They have continued limited traveling and taking in Senior Center, especially a current events class where Pearl has been the moderator.
Ralph and Pearl’s home continues to be a gathering place for their immediate family; including children and grandchildren of Pearl’s sister as they most everyone lives in the general Los Angeles area. Most years the family gathers at their home for Easter, summer birthdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Ralph died July 31, 2011. He was the last surviving sibling. Pearl died July 20, 2016 at the age of 96. They were married 70 years.
Ralph and Pearl have one son, Paul Ralph Ward, born on February 25, 1942 in Denver, CO. Paul was two years old when the family moved to California. He attended public school in Los Angeles eventually graduating from Washington High and then graduating for UCLA in 1965.
Paul met his future wife, Jean Lowry while attending the Pepperdine campus Church of Christ in Los Angeles. They married on September 3, 1963 and then became students on the University of the Seven Seas, making a world tour from 1963 to 1964. Paul and Jean had two children, Sean Douglas Ward and Alisa Janine Ward.
Paul worked as a computer specialist for a number of years. The family traveled overseas because of Paul's work as Paul, Jean and Sean spent 2-1/2 years in Copenhagen, Denmark while working for UNIVAC. Paul and Jean divorced May 16, 1986. In 1992, Paul earned a law degree from California Western School of Law in San Diego. For two years, he taught part time at California Western School of Law. He now does appellate work for the State of California in Redlands, CA (as of 2020 he is retired). Paul is remarried to Maureen Arrigo (September 26, 1992). Maureen earned a J.D. from The University of San Diego School of Law and an LLM. from Yale University in 1997. She taught at California Western before attending Yale. Thereafter she worked for several California courts. She now works as an attorney editor for the California Supreme Court.
Sean Douglas Ward was born September 16, 1966 in Inglewood, CA. He graduated from San Diego State University in 1990 and worked as a computer specialist for Sun Microsystems. He went to England a couple of times for AMGEN. He currently works for Verizon and resides in Sherman Oaks, CA. Sean married Cyndie Hanes on March 25, 1998. They had only two years together before Cyndie developed breast cancer. Treatment couldn't defeat the cancer and she died February 3, 2000.
Alisa Janine Ward was born on July 27, 1976 in San Diego. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 2000. She married Ken Schwinn November 23, 2002 in San Diego. He was born February 5, 1971 in Fullerton, California. Alisa works as a computer specialist for SAIC which contracts to the U.S. Government. Ken also is a computer specialist and works for Eli Lilly in San Diego as a Senior Research Scientist.They have two children, Julianne Claire Schwinn born July 30, 2012 and Douglas Alexander Schwinn born February 15, 2017. The family resides in San Diego.
