Russell Vernon Ward

Russell "Rusty" Ward was born in the territory of New Mexico, near Clovis. When he was almost two years old, his mother was killed in a horse and buggy accident. She was expecting her third child. Afterwards his father moved back to Johnson County, Kansas, with his two young sons. Rusty and his brother, Wilfred "Bill", lived with a variety of family and friends while growing up. Rusty graduated from Paola High school in 1926. Shortly after graduation, he lived with his brother and his wife Marian for a short time in McAlester, Oklahoma. He worked selling shoes. It is said he sold shoes to mobster Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd. In 1938, he married Elda Mae Holloman. They were the parents of a son and one daughter. The marriage ended in divorce and he never remarried.

Rusty worked and then retired in 1973 from the Missouri Pacific Railroad. He was first a brakeman and then a conductor. He always volunteered to work holidays so the men with young children could be with their families. He was a member of the B.P.O.E. Lodge #921 of Osawatomie. He was survived by his two children; three granddaughters; and one grandson; his brother Bill and sister-in-law Marian (Bettis) Ward.

SOURCE: Find a Grave.com