The Funeral Service for Joel Ward, age 53 of Lemmon, will be held at 1:00pm Saturday, June 4, 2016 at the New Hope Worship Center in Lemmon with Pastor Ed Cloninger, officiating. Following cremation, burial will be at 3:00pm on Sunday, June 5, 2016 at Greenhill Cemetery in Lemmon.

A Family Service will be held at 10:30am Saturday morning at the New Hope Worship Center.

Serving as casketbearers are Marty Harper, Corey and Jeff Boyton, Stefan Watson, Ray, Calvin, Bill, and Gary Ericsson.

JOEL EDWIN WARD was born in Lemmon, SD on March 31, 1963 to Joseph "Eddy" Ward and Jeanette M. (Ericsson) Ward. He grew up in Lemmon and in 1978 moved to Washington. Joel returned to the Dakota's and lived in Dickinson for 23 years and in November of 2013 returned to Lemmon to be closer to his mother and family
He enjoyed his Friday noon meals with his mother and nephew Corey. Joel and Corey developed a close friendship that meant a lot to both. Joel was very athletic in his younger years. He was an all star in football, basketball, track, baseball, moto-cross, and a boy scout. He was highly intelligent, loved music and playing the guitar, and was a loving devoted son, brother, and uncle to his family.

Joel passed away suddenly on Wednesday evening, May 25, 2016 at the West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger.
Surviving family members include his mother, Jeanette Ward, Lemmon, SD; 2 sisters, Roslyn (Marty) Harper, Mandan, ND; Ronda Ward, Tacoma, WA; numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Joseph E. Ward, his grandparents, Clarence and Alice Ericsson, Guy and Katherine Ward, and a special aunt, Clara Ericsson.

Visitation will be on Friday, June 3, 2016 from 1:00 to 7:00pm at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon.