Billy Don Ward

Billy Don Ward of Lawrenceville, GA 30044, went to be with God on December 15, 2019, after a 35-day hospital stay at Northside Gwinnett Hospital in Lawrenceville, GA. Billy is survived by his loving wife Randi D. Litman Ward, his precious son William Markus Ward and Mark’s wife and Billy’s daughter-in-law Susanne Widmann Ward who live in Stuttgart, Germany, his sister-in-law Shelley Litman in West Virginia, his Saint Bernard dog Savannah he considered a huge part of his life, and numerous cousins in WV and other states.  He was born in Huntington, WV, on August 26, 1944, to his late parents William Mitchell Ward and Beulah Ruth Adkins Ward. He graduated from Marshall University in 1972 with a degree in Business Management and retired as a Regional Material Damage Manager at Mercury Insurance in February 2011. He served in the USA Air Force for 4+ years during the Vietnam War era. He studied Czech at an intense, elite language school in Monterey, California.  His military service then involved being a “Voice Interceptor” reporting classified Czechoslovakian military activity to the NSA while he was stationed in Hof-Saale, Germany. He was there during the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia and listened to it live via radio intelligence. While in Germany, he even managed a Czech rock band whose members came into West Germany as refugees.  Billy lived a great life and fulfilled many of his dreams and goals. He and Randi traveled to 60 countries in four continents to experience many exciting and unique adventures. His love for cars became his big hobby. Over the years he restored many antique cars, including several 1955-56 T-birds, Corvettes, three Austin Healeys, and a TR3—just to name a few—as well as two restored race cars he and his son Mark raced at tracks, such as Road Atlanta twenty years ago. Billy was a true family man who always put his family first above his own needs. He had a very creative mind and a wonderful sense of humor. His positive attitude was infectious to those around him. Billy will be greatly missed by those who loved and knew him.  He was a perfect husband and father, a loyal friend, and a truly good man with a heart of gold. Randi, Mark, and Susanne want to express their sincerest gratitude and love to the Ahmed E. Abdou family (Ahmed, Amany, and their young daughter Randi), the Glaze family (Tamie, Miranda, and Ethan), Vivian Friend, and the entire medical staff who lovingly supported them in Billy’s final days in the hospital. If you wish to honor him, please donate money to your local animal shelters please. May Billy rest in peace now.

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