Michael James WARD

Born

28 December 1949 , Beaumont, Texas, USA

Died

18 April 2021 , West Springfield, Massachusetts, USA

Parents & Family of Michael James WARD

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Parents

Joe Baird WARD Mary Christine VARILLY

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Born: 28 December 1949 in Beaumont, Texas, USA

Father: Joe Baird WARD

Mother: Mary Christine VARILLY

Paternal grandparents: Burt Brian WARD , Annie May SIBLEY

Maternal grandparents: Michael Joseph VARILLY , Helena Marie SULLIVAN

Spouse(s)/Partner(s) and Child(ren):

Michael James married Laurel Ann CROUSS abt. 1984 . Laurel Ann CROUSS was born 17 June 1942 in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA (Indian Orchard). Laurel Ann was the child of Edward Warren CROUSS and Doris Anne WHITE.

Michael James WARD died 18 April 2021 in West Springfield, Massachusetts, USA.

photo/ portrait (above) from obituary

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Spouse & Children of Michael James WARD

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Michael James WARD married

Laurel Ann CROUSS
Marriage date: abt. 1984
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Laurel Ann CROUSS was the child of Edward Warren CROUSS and Doris Anne WHITE

Children of Michael James WARD and Laurel Ann CROUSS

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Birth — 1949
28 December 1949
Beaumont, Texas, USA

1950 - June 25 - Korean War begins when North Korean forces invade South Korea.

1953 - Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes President of the United States

1953 - On July 27, 1953, the Korean War ended with the signing of an armistice agreement at Panmunjom. This ceasefire halted the conflict between North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and South Korea, backed by United Nations forces primarily from the United States. The agreement established the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) near the 38th parallel, effectively maintaining the pre-war boundary and creating a buffer zone between the two Koreas.

1961 - John F. Kennedy becomes President of the United States

1961 - Vietnam War officially begins with 900 military advisors landing in Saigon.

1962 - The Cuban Missile Crisis was a tense 13-day standoff in October 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union over the installation of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from the U.S. coast. The crisis is considered the closest the Cold War came to escalating into a full-scale nuclear war. It began when American spy planes discovered the missiles, leading to a U.S. naval blockade of Cuba and intense negotiations. The crisis ended when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for the U.S. promising not to invade Cuba and secretly agreeing to remove American missiles from Turkey.

1963 - I Have a Dream Speech - Martin Luther King's Address at March on Washington August 28, 1963.

In 1963, on November 22, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, while riding in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza. The assassination shocked the nation and the world, leading to widespread mourning and a period of intense national introspection. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States shortly after Kennedy's death. The assassination sparked numerous conspiracy theories and investigations, with the Warren Commission ultimately concluding that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination. Kennedy's death had a profound impact on American politics and society, marking the end of an era often referred to as 'Camelot.'

1968 - The ATM is invented (Don Wetzel, United States)

1969 - Richard M. Nixon becomes President of the United States

1969 - July 20 - Apollo 11 - Man lands on the moon

June 17, 1972 – August 9, 1974 - Watergate Scandal began with the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., in 1972. Members of President Richard Nixon's administration attempted to cover up their involvement. The scandal led to the discovery of multiple abuses of power by the Nixon administration, the resignation of President Nixon in 1974, and the indictment of several administration officials.

1973 - January 22 - Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 and Doe v. Bolton, 410 U.S. 179: The U.S. Supreme Court declares that the Constitution protects women’s right to terminate an early pregnancy, thus making abortion legal in the U.S.

1973 - March 29 - The last United States soldier leaves Vietnam

The cell phone was invented by Martin Cooper of Motorola. On April 3, 1973, he made the first handheld mobile phone call with the Motorola DynaTAC. This device weighed 2.5 pounds and was 10 inches long, offering 30 minutes of talk time and requiring 10 hours to charge. The first commercial cell phone was released in 1983, revolutionizing communication and leading to the modern smartphones we use today.

1974 - Gerald R. Ford becomes President of the United States after the resignation of Richard Nixon.

1977 - Jimmy Carter becomes President of the United States

The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington State occurred on May 18, triggered by a 5.1 magnitude earthquake. It caused the largest landslide in recorded history, followed by a massive lateral blast. The eruption killed 57 people, destroyed 250 homes, and spread ash across the U.S.

1981 - Ronald Reagan becomes President of the United States

1981 - June 5 - First reported case of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)

1982 - The camcorder is invented (Sony Corp., Japan)

1983 - The laptop computer is invented (Radio Shack Corp., United States)

1986 - January 28 - Space Shuttle Challenger accident - The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when the shuttle broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members.

1989 - The World Wide Web is invented at CERN (Tim Berners-Lee, UK)

1989 - George H. W. Bush becomes President of the United States

1993 - William J. Clinton becomes President of the United States

2001 - George W. Bush becomes President of the United States

2001 - September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Coordinated terrorist attacks by the extremist group al-Qaeda on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, leading to significant changes in U.S. domestic and foreign policy, including the War on Terror.

2009 - Barack Obama becomes President of the United States

2017 - Donald J. Trump becomes President of the United States

January 20, 2020 - CDC reports the first laboratory-confirmed case of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus in the U.S. from samples taken on January 18 in Washington state and on the same day activates its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to respond to the emerging outbreak. (cdc.gov)

Obituary
ichael J. Ward

West Springfield, MA — The world lost a great man with the passing of Michael J. Ward on April 18, 2021 surrounded by the love and comfort of his family. Born in Beaumont, Texas on December 28, 1949 to the late Joe and Mary (Varilly) Ward, he was raised and educated in Greenfield, MA graduating from Greenfield High School, Class of 1968. Mike married the love of his life, Laurel Crouss and together they settled in Agawam to be close to their family. Mike enjoyed a successful career in wholesale food sales with Old Colony and Kraft. He loved to golf and found it relaxing to be on the water, boating or fishing, especially in his favorite place, Cape Cod. He had a passion for cruising the high seas, no matter the destination. His most treasured times were those spent with his close family. He also had a special place in his heart for his pup Maggie.

Mike is survived by his loving wife of 37 years, Laurel, his step-son Larry White Jr. and his wife Kathy, and his...Read full story

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