Brian E. Ward, age 51, of Great Mills Maryland, passed away unexpectedly on Monday May 1st, with his family at his side, at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington after a brief illness. Bri was born at Jacksonville Naval Hospital in Florida on 22 December 1971 to his parents Brian F. and Kay (Hilgenberg) Ward, currently of Clear Lake, Iowa.
As a “Navy Brat” Bri followed his Mom and Dad through Dad’s Navy career, living in Florida, Maine, California and Virginia spreading his enthusiastic and often sarcastic sense of humor all over the United States. With his looks, charm and humor, combined with his love and adventure, he adapted well and maintained lifetime friendships all over the country.
Bri graduated from Salem High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia, succeeding in everything he did thereafter. He went on to join the Navy where he found his true calling and soared through the ranks as an Air Traffic Controller, achieving the rank of Master Chief much earlier than his peers. Among his duty stations were USS Kearsarge, USS Inchon, NAS Norfolk, NAS Oceana, NAS Willow Grove, NAS Rota Spain and NSA Diego Garcia. He was still on active duty when he passed at NAVAIR Atlantic where he was a well-respected Air Traffic Control Technical Expert for the Atlantic Fleet. He lived and breathed the Navy and will be interred in September at Arlington National Cemetery.
Despite his dedication to the Navy he was able to be a loving, devoted husband and father throughout his career. Brian is survived by his wife of 26 years, Jennifer and their two wonderful children, Kelsey and Jacob of Virginia Beach as well as his parents Brian and Kay Ward of Clear Lake, Iowa.
