Althea Ward

Althea Frances (Stearns) Ward, 76, of Mansfield, wife of Clifford O. Ward Jr., passed away Monday, (November 16, 2009) at the Mansfield Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation. She was the daughter of the late Willard J. Stearns and Frances (Crane) Stearns. She grew up as a member of the First Congregational Church of Mansfield and had attended the First Baptist Church of Mansfield for the past 20 years. Althea loved cooking and sewing and being around small children. In addition to her husband of nearly 58 years, she is survived by three children, Linda A. LaClair of Enfield, NH, Clifford T. "Tom" Ward of Mansfield and Jeffrey A. Ward, also of Mansfield, a brother, Arthur B. Stearns and his wife Kate of Mansfield, two uncles, Stedman Stearns and Theodore Stearns, six grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by a son, Kenneth J. Ward, two brothers, Luther Stearns and Willard C. "Bill" Stearns and two uncles, Robert Stearns and Ellsworth Stearns. Her family will receive friends at the Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St., Rte. 195, Willimantic on Friday from 6-8 p.m. Funeral services will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Mansfield, 945 Storrs Rd., jct. Rte. 195 and Spring Hill Rd., Mansfield with Rev. Ron Baker officiating. Burial will follow in the Mansfield Center Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the First Baptist Church of Mansfield, 945 Storrs Rd., Storrs, CT 06268.