Dec. 16, 1919 – Nov. 26, 2021
Leora M. Ward, 101, passed away Nov. 26, 2021. She was born Dec. 16, 1919 in Mapleton, Utah, to Joseph and Belva Hatfield Morton. She grew up in Mapleton enjoying small-town activities, such as silent movies in black and white on Saturday nights. A highlight of the week would be an ice cream man from Spanish Fork ringing his bell, selling ice cream cones for 5 cents.
Her childhood had happy memories of activities with friends and relatives in their Mapleton Ward LDS Chapel and Town Hall. Her great-grandfather John Tuckett and his wife Mary Anne Gee celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in the Town Hall. Relatives came from Salt Lake and surrounding areas – far and near.
Leora graduated from Provo High School in 1938, and married Joseph Daniel Gertsch on July 3, 1940, in the Salt Lake Temple. He died after five years of marriage by an accidental death, leaving her with two young sons, Gerald, 4 and Ronald, 2 and a daughter, Jolene, was born a few months later.
Leora went back to college to receive a degree to teach school. She graduated June 1951 from the University of Utah. She taught Home Economics at Carbon College in Price, Utah, for two years and then taught three years at Granite High School in Salt Lake City, Utah.
She married Richard Wiley Collins on Oct. 13, 1955. For two years she taught second grade at Stansbury Elementary School and then at the elementary school in the Millcreek area. Richard had three children by a previous marriage: Gay Anne, Cathy and Tobert Collins. Then they had three children of their own: Teresa, Julie and Carl Collins. This made nine children in all.
Richard was in the military and was assigned to go overseas to Casablanca, Morocco. He was able to take his family with him where their youngest child, Carl was born. After 20 ½ years in the military, Richard retired, and they returned to Salt Lake City. Richard did volunteer work for the United Way and Leora worked at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Hospital in the Lab Department under Harry Henderson, the supervisor.
Upon retirement they served a one-year mission at the Liberty Jail in Liberty, MO. Then they went to St. George, Utah to work in the Temple. Richard passed away on January 14, 2004. Leora then volunteered as a foster grandparent in the Washington Elementary School under Burke Staheli, Principal.
She married Robert B. Ward, Sr. on January 3, 2008. They had a life enjoying their many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Leora has always been an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, being in a primary presidency, MIA worker, visiting teacher and Sunday School Teacher of young people.
Leora is survived by her children: Dr. Ronald L. Gertsch, Jolene Jaster, Teresa Roberts, Julie Smith, Carl Collins, Gay Anne Warner, Cathy German and Robert Collins. She is preceded in death by her son, Gerald Gertsch.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021 at 1 p.m., with a visitation prior from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Metcalf Mortuary, 288 West St. George Boulevard, St. George, Utah.
Graveside services will be held Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021 in the Midway, Utah Cemetery.
Arrangements entrusted to the care of Metcalf Mortuary, 435-673-4221. Visit Metcalf Mortuary’s website at www.metcalfmortuary.com for condolences, complete obituary and funeral listings.