Della Ward

Della Lee Ward died September 18, 2012 at her home in Weaver, Texas. She was born on December 30, 1929, the third of seven children in Henderson County, the daughter of Bennie and Eula Dowdy Henderson of Henderson County. She married G. C. Ward on March 11, 1951 in Rylie, Texas. He preceded her in death in 2010. G. C. and Della raised their family in Balch Springs, but always dreamed of moving to the country. She retired from Burroughs Corporation in Dallas as a secretary/ bookkeeper and she and G C. moved to Weaver. While in Weaver, both Della and G. C. decided to work with their daughter and son-in-law, Charles, at Helm Hotels Group. Della worked as a bookkeeper at the home office in Sulphur Springs.
Della was a member of the Standard Club and Weaver Baptist Church. She had a passion for sports and loved playing basketball and softball. She played on basketball teams with her sisters while growing up and played on softball teams with her daughters when they were grown. She always enjoyed not only playing herself, but watching her children and grandchildren play sports as well. She and G. C. rarely missed a game.
Della loved children and always wanted to do things for children. She could not stand for a child to go without a gift at Christmastime. Growing up during the depression, she always recalled that the only thing she ever got for Christmas was a piece of fruit and when she went to school the other kids talked about all the toys they had received. Therefore, she and G. C. started purchasing Christmas gifts for the children at Weaver Baptist Church every year. To keep her love of giving, we would like to ask that memorials be made in her memory to the Della Ward Secret Santa Fund at the Weaver Baptist Church, 8749 US Highway 67E, Saltillo, TX 75478.
Survivors include: two daughters, Sharon Helm and husband, Charles, of Sulphur Springs and Cheree Ross and husband, Gary, of Weaver; grandchildren, Monica Helm Glenn and husband, Zach, of Denton, Chase Helm and wife, Michelle, of Dallas, Ronnie Ross and wife, Misty, of Quitman, Michael Ross of Dallas; great-grandchildren, Danielle Ross and Gabrielle Ross of Quitman; four sisters, Gracie Green of Seagoville, Shirley Nolen and husband, James, of Payne Springs, Pat Hinton of Dallas, Sandra Morris of Mabank and family friend, Ala Sinclair; sisters-in-law, Jean Henderson of Crandall and Mary Thomas Celsur of Mesquite and brothers-in-law, John Ward and wife, Nancy, of Livingston and Bob Ward and wife, Betty, of California.
She was also preceded in death by grandson, Christopher Shawn Walden; her parents and brothers, J. B. Henderson and Johnny Clyde Henderson.