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1936 Geraldine (Jerry) 2023

Geraldine (Jerry) S. Ward

February 14, 1936 — March 21, 2023

Albuquerque

Mrs. Geraldine (Jerry) S. Ward, 87, passed away on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, at 9:34 AM from complications of Covid.

 

Geraldine was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Helen M. (Watson) Mulrenin and John G. Mulrenin. Geraldine is preceded in death by her parents Helen and John Mulrenin and by her brother John Mulrenin. Geraldine is survived by her husband of 56 years Larry, her sister Francine Gruette of Cushing, OK, her two sons, John Ward of Front Royal, Virginia, and Michael Ward of Clifton, VA, her daughter in law Michelle Ward of Clifton, VA, her grandson Evan Ward, of Clifton, VA, and by her granddaughter Macy Ward of Washington, D.C.

 

Jerry served in the U.S. Air Force as a flight attendant in the Military Air Transport Service for three years. She attended Tulsa Business College after which she worked for Hurst Publishing Company. Jerry joined the U.S. State Department’s Foreign Service in 1962 and served in Beirut, Lebanon, Paris, France, and Bridgetown, Barbados, as a Consular Officer where she met and married her husband Larry. After the Barbados assignment she took a leave of absence from the Foreign Service and accompanied her husband and two sons on assignments to Lahore, Pakistan, Brussels, Belgium, Nairobi, Kenya, and Bonn, Germany. Jerry became an active Consular Officer again in 1978 and received assignments to London, England, and Manila, Philippines. Jerry was assigned back to the Department of State in 1984 where she worked as a Refugee and Migration Affairs Officer. She retired in 1991 and was then employed as a contract employee in the Refugee and Migration Services Office at the State Department for two years.  Jerry retired for the last time in January of 1994. She and her husband moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1998.

 

Jerry’s work in the State Department allowed her to travel the world during the course of her career. Her sons were exposed to countless environments and cultures that were integral to their upbringing. Jerry maintained her connection with her home region of Oklahoma through fierce support of the Oklahoma Sooners and the Dallas Cowboys football team. Her grandchildren, Evan and Macy, have fond memories of her visits to their home state of Virginia during their childhood. Their ventures to New Mexico to spend time with her during their adolescent years were full of exploration of the Albuquerque and Santa Fe areas. She loved visiting local Indigenous open markets and sharing these cultural elements of her community with her family. Jerry was always eager to sightsee the museums in her neighborhood and had countless stories and facts to supplement the historical experiences. Her sons John and Mike were able to fly from the East Coast to spend time with her in her final months lifted her spirits and harnessed her affection for her family. Jerry’s fearless drive and undoubted wit will never be forgotten.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Geraldine (Jerry) S. Ward, please visit our flower store.

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