WARD, Claude Herman, 85, of Hopewell, Virginia, formerly of Steeles, West Virginia, passed away on Thursday, April 26, 2012. He was a proud veteran of the U.S. Army, he served in WWII, and was a member of the 79th Infantry, antitank company. Mr. Ward retired from Honeywell after 26 years of service as an electrician. He was a member of the Church of Nazarene in Hopewell and did missionary work in South America. Mr. Ward was a member of the Oldies but Goodies Classic Cruisers. He greatly enjoyed socializing and visiting with family and friends. Mr. Ward was preceded in death by his parents, Flavious and Louise Ward; eight brothers and three sisters. He is survived by his wife, Betty Lou Ward; son, Claude H. Ward II and his wife, Lisa; daughter, Connie S. Rakes and her husband, Ronnie; grandchildren, Rebecca Leipold and her husband, Steve, April Ripchick and her husband, Jason, Brittany, Claudia, and Wynter Ward; and numerous other loving family and friends. The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 29, at the Hopewell Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 30, at the funeral home with Rev. Tom Taylor and Dr. Lewis Brown, officiating. Interment will follow at Bermuda Memorial Park (findagrave.com)