Thomas D. Ward, 70, of Nova, OH, passed away unexpectedly, without suffering on February 19, 2017 at University Hospital in Elyria, OH. He was surrounded by his loving family, friends and co-workers. He was born on November 16, 1946 in Louisa, Kentucky. Tom was raised on a farm in Norwalk, OH. On May 7, 1983 he met his soul mate, Laura Anderson. They were married on June 1, 1985 and together they built a happy home and raised three wonderful children. Thomas was the definition of hard work and determination, one of his most used phrases was, "You have to be strong up here too, if you set your mind to something and tell yourself and God you're going to do it, you'll do it!" He had a passion for Semis and described them as big hot rods. Thomas set a goal to get 50 years of driving in before retirement and he did just that and a little more. More than anything, Thomas loved his family, especially his two grandsons Tristan and Thomas. He also enjoyed sports, anything from racing, to football and baseball. He attended many Cleveland Browns and Indians games and also followed The OSU Buckeyes. Thomas will be deeply missed by all who knew him. There will never be another man like him. He was a hero to his children and grandchildren. He was a wonderful husband and best friend to his wife who he truly cherished. Thomas' greatest accomplishment was being not only a father to his children but also a friend. "Dad we all love you so much and this is only until we meet again!" Survivors include his wife of 32 years, Laura S. (Anderson) Ward; sons, Todd (Laurie) Ward of Greenwich and Tyler Ward of Nova; daughter, Lauren Ward of Nova and grandsons, Tristan and Thomas; brother, Joseph (Jan) Ward of North Fairfield; sisters, Margaret Gregory of Norwalk, Violet (Mike) Feyedelem of Kelly's Island he is also survived by several other family members. Thomas was preceded in death by his parents, Valentine and Emily Ward and his brother, Clarence. His family will greet friends on Thursday, February 23, 2017 from 6-8 p.m. at Eastman Funeral Home, New London where a service will be held Friday at 11 a.m. A burial will follow in the Nova Cemetery. If desired, memorial contributions can be directed to the Ward family. Condolences may be expressed online by visiting www.eastmanfuneralhome.com.

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