Bishop Jimmie Ward Jr.,C.S.W.'s Obituary
Bishop Jimmie Ward, Jr., C.S.W., was born March 24, 1947, in Memphis, Tennessee to the union of Jimmie and Rosanna Ward; both parents and two brothers, William Ward and LaRue Ward, preceded him in death. Bishop Ward accepted Jesus Christ as his Personal Savior at a very early age. Early in life he was a faithful member of East Trigg Avenue Baptist Church and Beulah Baptist Church where he served in several capacities.
At a young age, Bishop Ward met and married Evelyn Rockamore, and out of that union came one child, James K. Ward. Bishop Ward graduated from Melrose High School in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was active in all sports and was an all-city and all-state football champion. After graduation, Bishop Ward attended the University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff (formerly Arkansas A.M. & N.) on a football scholarship. He became a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. Following graduation, Bishop Ward moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1969. There, he was united in holy matrimony to his childhood sweetheart, Pastor Thelma J. Downey Ward, on October 22, 1970. While in Michigan, Bishop Ward worked for General Motors. By October 1970, he started his career working with children at Saint Francis Home for Boys (Residential Treatment Center for Boys), Spaulding for Children (Adoption Agency for hard-to-place children), and Boysville of Michigan (Treatment Center for Adolescent Boys). He also worked as an instructor at Robert F. Kennedy High School. Bishop Ward had a deep love and concern for underprivileged, underserved, and special needs children. In August of 1981, he moved his family to Houston, Texas, where he and Pastor Thelma Ward worked as teaching parents at Clarewood (Harris County Children Protective Services), and later founded the Exceptional Care Unit (ECU) with the Harris County Child Welfare Department. This program served difficult-to-manage and high-risk children. Bishop Ward's love for others mirrored his love for God. In August of 1981, Bishop Ward was called by God into ministry. Through his love of God's people and his obedience to God, he pastored several temples of the Church of the Living God, C.W.F.F. to include Temple #214 in Houston, Texas, and Temple #129 in Dallas, Texas.
Bishop Ward moved back to Detroit, Michigan in 1988 and worked as Senior Vice President at Wolverine Human Services (Residential Treatment Center for adolescent boys), while pastoring at Temple #67 in Cleveland, Ohio, and Temple #69 in Detroit, Michigan. In 2000 in Detroit, Michigan, Bishop Ward founded Grace Outreach Ministries where he served as Senior Pastor. A no-nonsense type of preacher when it came to the Word of God, he led many to Christ. He never held back but whatever he gave you, you needed! He was passionate when it came to studying and rightly dividing the Word of God. Bishop Ward believed in the Word, lived by the Word, and taught the Word! He was used by God to influence the lives of not only his congregation but of everyone who came in contact with him. In October 2009, he moved to Conyers, Georgia, where he continued to minister, counsel, and draw others to Christ. Bishop Ward leaves to cherish his precious memory his wife, Pastor Thelma J. Downey Ward; one brother, Cedrick Ward; one sister, Cozette Brooks; four children, Derriell Faye (Dee) Dudley-Wilson, James K. (Linda) Ward, Henry L. (Daphne) Wilson, and Kay (Jerome) Carson; 11 grandchildren, Jameea Ward; Dr. Donald Ray Brown, Jr.; LaKeydria Brown; Aiver Brown; Ashley Wilson; Henry L. Wilson, III; John Franklin, Jr.; Romeo Carson; Tyree Carson; Ashley Dudley; and Ami Dudley; five great grandchildren; two sisters in law (Gloria Ward and Cora Fizer), two brothers in law (Charles Fizer and Clifton Downey); a host of nieces and nephews, and many, many friends.
What’s your fondest memory of Bishop Jimmie?
What’s a lesson you learned from Bishop Jimmie?
Share a story where Bishop Jimmie's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Bishop Jimmie you’ll never forget.
How did Bishop Jimmie make you smile?