Rev. Joan Williams Ward

July 25, 1933 - May 14, 2022

Reverend Joan Williams Ward July 25,1933 - May 14, 2022 Joan Williams Ward died peacefully in the Health Services Center of Presbyterian Village, (Austell, GA) on Saturday, May 14, 2022 Joan Vassar Williams was born in Hopewell, VA to William Bahnson Williams and Louise Baker Vassar. A native of Wilmington DE, Joan graduated from Mount Pleasant High School and worked briefly before her marriage to first husband Henry R. Tatnall, Jr. They raised three children in Wilmington and accepted overseas assignments with DuPont de Nemours, Inc in Tokyo, Japan and in Santiago, Chile. Following the tragic death of her daughter, Katharine Lea Tatnall in 1976, Joan remarried and embarked on her professional journey into nursing, chaplaincy and pastoral care. She graduated Nursing School of Wilmington, Wilmington College, Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and received the Doctor of Ministry from Andover-Newton Theological School in 1987. A champion for women in ministry, Joan was a loving spouse to her husband of 44 years, Reverend Gilbert J. Ward, who passed peacefully on July 1, 2020. Following Gil Ward's retirement from full-time ministry in 1992, Joan co-pastored as interim with Gil at Cameron Presbyterian Church in Cameron, NC and Altama Presbyterian Church in Brunswick, GA. Joan is survived by her two sons Andrew Tatnall (Nancy) of Marietta, GA and David Tatnall (Christine) of Olney, MD; step-children David Ward (Judith Stallings-Ward), Nancy Koenig (August), and Janice Ward; grandchildren Katherine Tatnall Arias, Amelia Tatnall Lawrence (Jonathan), Nicholas Tatnall, Caroline Tatnall, step-grandsons Zachary and Gregory Ward and great-granddaughters Camille, Luciana and Vivienne Arias, and Rosemary Lawrence. She befriended the nursing staff and was lovingly cared for by the team at Presbyterian Village in Austell, GA in her final years. A committal service for Joan and Gilbert Ward will be held at Cheatham Hill Memorial Park on July 30, 2022 at 10:00a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made in memory of Reverend Joan Ward to the Chancel Choir of First Presbyterian Church - Marietta. Arrangements will be handled by West Cobb Funeral Home. https://www.westcobbfuneralhome.com/