Ella June Ward

Mrs. Ella June Ward, age 83, born on January 2, 1943, in Pineville, Kentucky, passed away on Friday, February 20, 2026, unexpectedly at home surrounded by family. She was the daughter of the late Ault and Ella Bradley and the beloved wife of Joe. June was a twin and one of 9 children. Although June and Joe spent the past four years living in North Carolina with their son John, Kentucky was always their home.

June was a graduate of Pineville High School, where she served as Captain of the Cheerleading Squad. From an early age she carried a fiery spirit, a love for people and a joy for being outdoors. She later married her childhood best friend & sweetheart Joe…the boy she once played with in her front yard. Their love story spanned 64 beautiful years of marriage.

June was a strong lady, and her marriage to Joe was even stronger. Together with their boys, they endured a devastating flood that took everything they owned — but their faith and their marriage remained steady, reminding them what mattered most.

June’s life centered around family and simple joys. June delighted in teaching her grandchildren how to bait a fishhook; even when they were as young as three years old, passing down not just a skill, but her love for the outdoors and time together.

June and Joe were blessed with five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, each one dearly loved and treasured. She found great joy in pouring into her family, whether on the lake in Tennessee, around the table, or with needle and thread in hand. June had a gift for sewing and lovingly made each of her grandchildren a quilt, thoughtfully themed to reflect their individual interests — reminders of the way she saw and celebrated each of them uniquely.

June also loved her dogs through the years and often said she would never have an inside dog — until Cooper, Riley, Bella, Henry and Theodore came along and completely changed her heart. Like so many things in her life, love found its way in anyway.

She will always be remembered as dedicated wife, mom, mamaw, and friend; and, as someone who loved deeply, worked hard, and found joy in the simple, meaningful moments of life.

June is preceded in death by her son, Joseph Edgar Ward IV (Joey).

She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Joe Ward; her son, John Ward (DeLynda) of Wilkesboro, NC, who adored his mom; her sister, Corrine Bingham (Douglas) of Frankfort, KY; her daughter-in-law, Juanita Ward Walker (Jason) of Lafayette, GA; grandchildren, Keshia Ward Rape (Jesse) of Lafayette, GA, Joseph Edgar Ward V (Emily) of Trion, GA, Tyler Ward (Jessica) of Wilkesboro, NC, Parker Ward (Adrian) of Lewisville, NC, and Copeland Ward Scales (Dante) of Wilkesboro, NC; and great-grandchildren, Lane and Audrey Rape, Joseph Ward VI, Lennon Ward, Elias and Vaeda Ward, Colson and Noah Scales. She is also survived by her cousin and best friend of 67 plus years, Marlene Napier, and special friends David and Liz Messer and Raymond and Judy Messer, all of Pineville, KY.

A hard worker throughout her life, June served faithfully as a nurse’s aide for over 20 years. She was a lifelong member of West Pineville Baptist Church.

Funeral services will be at 2:00 PM on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at the Arnett & Steele Funeral Home in Pineville with Pastor Corey Smallwood and Rev. Jimmy McGlamery officiating. Burial will follow at the Pineville Memorial Cemetery with family and friends serving as pallbearers.

The family will receive friends on Thursday from 11:30 AM until the funeral hour at the Arnett & Steele Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Pineville, which is honored to serve the Ward Family.