Joan R. Ward

Joan R. Ward - Former Rowayton School Secretary

Joan Louise (Robertson) Ward, age 86, of Norwalk, wife of the late Alan M. Ward, Jr., died after her second bout with the Covid-19 virus on December 24th.

Joan was born in Kenmore, NY to Thomas Robertson, Sr. and Mary Phelps Robertson. She graduated from Orchard Park High School in 1952, which is where she met her future husband, Alan.

Joan and Alan moved to Rowayton in 1962. Joan joined the Norwalk Board of Education in 1971, serving first as a Special Education Aide at Rowayton Elementary School, then as a secretary for the Roton Middle School Guidance Dept.

A true “people person”, Joan landed her dream job when she took over as the Rowayton Elementary School secretary. She loved interacting with the students, the teachers, and their families.

After she retired in 2008, Joan tried to spend as much time as she could with her grandchildren and her dear friends from work.

Joan is survived by her three children, Jeff Ward and his wife Carol Giunta, of Norwalk, Tabitha Ward McKeon and her husband Tom, of West Haven, CT, and Joshua Ward, of Fayette, ME; her brother Thomas Robertson, Jr. and his wife Paula, of Orchard Park, NY, her sister, Cheryl Robertson, of Central Islip, NY; and her five grandchildren, Callan Ward McKeon, Bayley Ruth McKeon, Cori Louise Ward, Griffin Alan Ward, and Tom Robertson Ward.

A memorial gathering will be held for her when it is safe to do so. Please consider a memorial contribution to Habitat for Humanity in lieu of flowers. Please visit www.collinsfh.com/obituaries to leave condolences.