Joan Loral Boone Ward, 80, of 6316 S. Prince William Road, died Tuesday, March 20, 2012, at 5:35 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Central Hospital, Lafayette. She had been a patient there 1 week and died unexpectedly. She was born May 13, 1931, in Delphi to the late Larry and Pauline Pearson Boone. Her first marriage was to Robert L. Hatter in the summer of 1979, and he preceded her in death in 1995. She then married Joe H. Ward July 12, 1997, and he survives. She was a 1948 graduate of Delphi High School. She worked for over 25 years for the Delphi Community School Corporation as secretary to the middle school principal, then moving to the high school and was secretary for the principal there, and lastly, was secretary for the Athletic Director of the high school. She was a member of the Delphi VFW Auxiliary, Delphi American Legion Auxiliary and the Monticello Moose Lodge. She enjoyed traveling, gardening, mushroom hunting, outdoor activities, cooking and collecting cook books. She dearly loved her family, and enjoyed all of the time they spent together.

Surviving are her husband, Joe H. Ward of Culter; a daughter, Cheryl and Todd Riley of Brookston; a son, Glenn "Butch" and Marjorie Calvert of Delphi; brother, Kenneth and Judy Boone Sr. of Delphi; stepchildren, Scott and Marsha Ward of Whitestown, Mark and Debbie Ward of Rossville, Sherman and Francine Ward of Lafayette and JoAnn and Glen Blackwell of West Lafayette; 2 grandchildren, Brandi and Wade Gaines and Glenn Randall and Stephanie Calvert; 4 stepgrandchildren; and 1 great-granddaughter.

Friends may call Thursday 5-7 p.m. at Abbott Funeral Home, Delphi. Service there Friday 10:30 a.m., with burial at Camden Cemetery. Memorial contributions to the donor's choice. Online condolences: abbottfuneralhome@frontier.com.