Mrs. Wilma Jean Brown Ward, 84, of Advance, died Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem.

She was born July 29, 1939, in Forsyth County, to the late William Edgar and Ruth Irene Holcomb Brown. Mrs. Ward was a long-time employee of AMP Incorporated from which she would retire. She was also a long-time employee of Waffle House Restaurant where she would continue to work for many years after retiring from AMP. Later in life, she decided to work in the field of medicine as a Certified Nurse's Assistant and would eventually work for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Billy Ray Ward; and her siblings, Dorothy, Larry, and Joel.

Survivors include her seven children, Andy, Jeff, Craig (Coni), Greg (Robin), Natalie, Maurice, and Floyd (Anna); 16 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; and her brother, Billy (Sibbie).

A graveside service will be conducted 2 p.m., Friday, October 20, at Mountain View Baptist Church Cemetery, Hamptonville.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105; or Mountain View Baptist Church, 1232 Mountain View Church Road, Hamptonville, NC 27020.

Online condolences www.lambertfuneralhomenc.com