Lois Ward

Lois M. Ward, 95, died Wednesday (March 18, 2020) at The Oxford Grand in Wichita, Ks.

She was born on January 19, 1925 on a farm Southeast of Conway Springs, Kansas, which was know to many in the area as, the Biggs place. Lois graduated from Conway Springs High School in 1941 and received her Bachelor’s Degree from Kansas State University in 1954. She would do her internship in Medical Technology in New Britain, Conn.

She married Jack LeRoy Ward on December 18, 1949 in Winfield, Kansas. They lived in Wellington, Ks., Lakehurst, N.J., Kansas City, Ks., Lebanon, Ks., before moving to Newton. Jack owned and operated the Gray-Ward Sporting Goods Store in Newton. He died on August 17, 2000.

Lois worked in several hospitals in Wellington, Ks., Winfield, Ks., Kansas City, Ks. Smith Center, Ks., and Wichita, Kansas before coming to Newton where she worked for a short time at the Bethel Deaconess Hospital before moving over to the Axtell Hospital where she worked from 1956 until retiring in September, 1997. While at Axtell, she would become the Supervisor of the Lab.

Lois was a volunteer at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita where she would meet Bill Hendrix. They were married on March 22, 2003 and lived in Wichita.

She had been a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Newton, Andover United Methodist Church and a member of the Order of Eastern Star for over 50 years.

Survivors include her husband Bill Hendrix of Wichita; daughter Debbie Wilson and husband John of Wichita; grandson Erik Wilson of Kansas City, Ks.; brother Don Grimm and his wife Elaine of Goleta, Calif.; sister-in-law Eunice Grimm of Parker, Colo.; and extended family Janice Eldridge and her husband Steve, and Steve Hendrix and his wife Patti all of Wichita.

Lois is preceded in death by her parents; first husband Jack; and brothers Clyde, Dale, Glenn, Wayne and Dean Grimm.

A Celebration of Life will be announced later.

Private family inurnment was in the Greenwood Cemetery in Newton, Ks.

A memorial has been established with the First Presbyterian Church in Newton and the Andover United Methodist Church. Contributions may be sent to the funeral home.

Arrangements are by Broadway Colonial Funeral Home, Newton.