Dolores (Dodi) Ward bravely left this world on November 13, 2022, just three weeks shy of her 92nd birthday. She is survived by her daughter Shari (Thomas), son John (Rise’); grandsons Jordan (Dria), Kirk (Hiroko); granddaughter Jessica and great granddaughter Lila. She also leaves behind her sister Rosemary, numerous nieces and nephews, and dear friend Bob.

Dolores was born during the hard times of the 1930’s. Parents Oran and Susie struggled to earn a living in Utah while raising three young children. Dolores, being the eldest child, helped care for her younger siblings David and Rosemary when their mother died suddenly at age 30. The two sisters were separated from family as their father searched for work and eventually remarried. Delores and Rosemary went to private boarding schools until they were young adults, then moved to central California to reunite with family. There, Delores met and married future petroleum engineer George in 1949. In the 1970’s while working at California Mart in Los Angeles, Dolores met and married her second husband John P. Ward. John passed away in 2004, shortly after both he and Delores moved to Whidbey Island from Arroyo Grande, California.

In August 2005 Delores and Bob, an old boarding school classmate, met again after 55 years. She learned to play golf at the age of 72 and they enjoyed traveling and playing golf together. Delores made many friends on Whidbey Island and was known as a great lady of friendship and adventure. She was an enthusiastic bridge player, a poet, a Useless Bay Country Club regular, and a member of the Red Hat Society. Throughout her life, she constantly maintained a positive outlook and saw goodness in everyone. Her final words were “LOVE YOU!”