St. Albans - Paul Francis Ward, 84, known as "Papa", died unexpectedly due to heart complications on Monday, August 17th, 2020 at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington. Papa was born on February 10th, 1936 to Edward and Doris (Capitola-Ingalls) Ward in Underhill, VT. He graduated from Jericho High School in 1954 and joined the United States Air Force where he was stationed in Bourdeaux, France and traveled abroad as a second-class airman as an electrician. After being in the Air Force, Papa started working at R.J. Martell's Plumbing & Heating where he met the love of his life, Audrey (Cardinal). Papa and Audrey married on July 30th, 1966 and celebrated their 54th anniversary this summer. Papa owned Ward's Texaco in Underhill before moving to Swanton where he raised his twin daughters, Kathy and Kim, on their family farm. Papa's hobbies included tinkering on tractors while enjoying the sunshine, playing his guitar at senior centers, gardening, bowling, cheering his grandchildren on at sporting events and attending Kathy's Zumba classes. Papa became a licensed Zumba instructor and traveled northern Vermont attending Zumba events. Papa held a third-degree blackbelt in Tae-Kwon-Do. Papa is survived by his loving wife, Audrey, of St. Albans and his daughters, Katherine Bourdeau and her husband John of Enosburg and Kimberly Mitchell and her husband Joshua of Stafford, VA. Papa is survived by his six grandchildren; Ashley (Bourdeau) MacDonald and her husband, Hayden, Megan Mitchell, JP Bourdeau, Jacob Mitchell, Mitchell Bourdeau and Zachary Bourdeau. Three of Papa's 11 siblings, Henry, Susan (Seymour) and June (Thomas) continue to carry-on the Ward family spirit. He was predeceased by nine siblings; Howard, Bruce, Roger, Doug, Wesley, Ruth (Walters), Alan, Wayne and Pauline (Currie).
There will be no services at this time.
For those who wish, online condolences may be made to www.minorfh.com. In the spirit of Papa, "This is not Goodbye', it's see you another day".