Cheryl Jean Ward

CHERYL JEAN WARD Funeral services for longtime Cortez resident Cheryl Jean Ward will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 19 at Ertel Memorial Chapel. Pastor Jonathan Bland will officiate the services. Interment will follow at Cortez Cemetery. Cheryl J. Ward was born October 8, 1946 in Killeen, TX to Tuffy and Louise Overton, the 3rd of 5 children. Relocating to Montezuma Creek, UT she graduated from Blanding High School in 1965. Later Cheryl moved to Cortez and worked as a radio operator for Ute Communications, this is where she met her husband Kenneth L Ward and they were married June 23, 1970. In 1971 her only son, Kenneth Justin Ward was born. Step-Daughters Robin, Janice and Cheryl Ann moved in to complete the family over the next few years. Cheryl's career continued as she worked as a Legal Secretary, Banking Clerk and retiring in 2009 as the Executive Secretary at the Ute Mountain Tribe. Cheryl became widowed in 2007 and in 2009 she made the decision to relocate to Texas to be with her son and family. Missing beautiful Colorado, weather and her friends she spent the next few years of her life transitioning between Texas and Colorado to enjoy both. Cheryl was loved and cherished by all her family. She will always be remembered for always putting herself second to her family and others. Her family always came first in her life. She loved entertaining, hunting, fishing, playing cards and board games. Cheryl was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth L Ward of Cortez; her father Wilford Howell Overton of Cortez; her mother Louise Overton of Cortez; and sister Linda Fulton of Oklahoma. Surviving Cheryl are two sisters Carol Woodmancy of Dolores and Janet Overton of Cortez; brother Billy & wife Natalie Overton of Gallup; Son Justin & wife Trudie Ward of San Antonio, TX; Step daughters Robin & husband Jonathan Bland of Cortez; Cheryl Ann and husband John Beaudin of Brentwood, CA; Janice and husband Dan Ward of Cortez; six grandchildren: Kyle & wife Whitney Bland of Cortez; Ashlee & husband Tim Webb of Cortez; Ahna & husband Riley Calvillo of Cortez; Jason & wife Rachel Ward of Whidbey Island, WA; Samantha & husband Dominic Olivas of Cortez; and Wyatt Ward of San Antonio, TX. Cheryl had 9 Great Grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Cheryl fought a short battle with cancer but never lost her sense of humor. She made a personal decision to give her life to Jesus Christ and we look forward to seeing her again when we get to heaven. Memorial contributions can be made in memory of Cheryl Ward at Vectra Bank.