Ivora Marie Ward

Ivora (Wittman) Ward was born on June 19, 1923, to George and Clara Wittman on a farm south of Uniontown, Wash. In 1925, her parents bought a farm on McCormick Ridge, 23 miles southeast of Lewiston. She was one of nine brothers and sisters.

She attended school at Slickpoo Mission, where she was taught by the St. Joseph nuns. She attended high school in Culdesac and graduated in 1941. While in high school, she played the saxophone and clarinet in the school band. She and her two sisters and three teachers formed a dance band and played for dances at Culdesac and Lapwai. While attending the Lewiston Normal School, she continued playing in their band and the college orchestra. She served on several committees while studying at the Normal School and was the president of the honor society known as Phi Beta Sigma, secretary of the associated student body, a member of The Kampus Kadets and several other organizations. After graduation, Ivora taught first grade in Genesee and later in Clarkston.

In 1945, she married her best friend, James (Jim) Ward, who was in the Army Air Corps. After the war they bought a home in Lewiston, where he managed the Raymond Hotel for eight years. Together, Ivora and Jim started several businesses. After their seven children were in school, Ivora became a manager for Tupperware Home Parties. She recruited 25 dealers who worked for her for five years. When her husband started The NAPA Auto Parts in Lewiston, she retired from Tupperware to work as the bookkeeper and office manager for 13 years. After Jim was diagnosed with terminal cancer, they sold the business shortly before his death in November 1978. In January of 1979, she worked as a bookkeeper for Coleman Oil Company in East Lewiston for six years. After her retirement, she joined the Clarkston Golf and Country Club, where she was an avid golfer and bridge player.

Ivora was a volunteer at St. Joseph's Hospital for 19 years, accumulating over 5,000 hours. She held several offices on the auxiliary board during her eight-year tenure, including president, vice president and head of the scholarship award fund for students attending college to become nurses.

In 2007, she sold her Clarkston home and moved into Evergreen Estates until 2013. She lived for the past year at The Renaissance Assisted Living Community in Coeur d'Alene until her death from congestive heart failure.

She is survived by daughters Joan and husband David Stauffacher (Spokane), Kathleen and husband Tom Trotter (Coeur d'Alene), MaryAnn and husband Mike Hume (Spokane) and Terry and husband Albert Chaparro (Lafayette, Calif.); sons Michael and wife Debbie Ward (Lewiston) and John Ward. She is survived by 18 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother, Marvin Wittman and wife Helen; sister Lorraine Wilkerson; and sister-in-law Darlene Wittman and brother-in-law Bo Morgan. She was preceded in death by her husband Jim; son Thomas; daughter Patty Ann; sisters Charlotte, Kathryn, Joan and Patty Ann; and brothers Barthel (Bob) and Dan.

Ivora was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend.

Rosary services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Holy Family Church in Clarkston, with a Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. and burial to follow at Normal Hill Cemetery in Lewiston. Following the burial, family and friends are invited to a luncheon at the Holy Family Church event center adjacent to the church.

Donations may be made to Holy Family School or Hospice of North Idaho.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Vassar-Rawls Funeral Home in Lewiston.