Sr. Mary Ellen Ward of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Nazareth died April 1 at the age of 93. A Mass of Christian Burial was held for her April 3.

Mary Ellen Ward was born in Aberdeen, S.D., on Feb. 2, 1921, the daughter of Stuart and Anna Marie (Neault) Ward. Mary Ellen was a member of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Detroit at the time of her entrance into the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Nazareth on June 23, 1937. She received the name Sr. Marie James at her reception Jan. 7, 1938, but later returned to the use of her baptismal name. She pronounced first vows Jan. 8, 1940, and final vows Jan. 8, 1943.

Sr. Ward earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Nazareth College and a Master of Arts in education and history from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. She taught for 19 years in schools of the congregation, including St. Benedict, Highland Park; St. David, Detroit; and St. Agnes, Flint. She then transitioned to Nazareth College as an assistant to the college registrar. In 1970, Sr. Ward undertook new ministry at Borgess Hospital and Medical Center where she worked in out-patient registration and medical eecords. She left Borgess after 20 years to care for her dear mother. Sr. Ward returned to Nazareth after her mother’s death, where she worked for several years in the SSJ Insurance Office. In her retirement years she engaged in a wide variety of volunteer work at Fontbonne, Nazareth Center and Borgess Nursing Home.