POWNAL – Ethan Matthew Ward, 23, of Pownal, passed on from this life on Nov. 23, 2020 as a member of the crew (Captain Robert “Bobby” Waugh, Jeffery Matthews, and Michael John Porper, Jr.) on the F/V Emmy Rose, which was lost at sea.

Ethan was born Oct. 22, 1997 in Portland. He attended schools in Pownal and Freeport, graduating in 2015 from Wayfinder School in New Gloucester. He was the firstborn to everything and everyone; son, grandson, and cousin.

At a young age he set himself from others by always wanting to do things his way, which seemed to everyone the hard way. At approximately age 3 he managed to figure out how to unlock the house door lock, dead bolt and security chain and escape to an L L Bean concert, no shirt and bare foot. There was quite a team looking for him, police, fire rescue, family and friends. He was found by a n off duty policeman. He was dancing and having a grand time. This affinity for doing things his way having no fears from ditching his bike with training wheels at age 4 to getting on an adult bike and breaking his arm at daycare, then onto skateboarding, rollerblading, snowboarding, dirt biking, and four wheeling got him the name “Dare Devil.” He loved going to the mud parks. Hence, many trips to the hospital. He also enjoyed swimming in the family pool and pole fishing, rain or shine, with anyone who would go with him.

He got started fishing when his mother would take him brook trout fishing when he was just in a little carrier. Then when his brother Jacob was born Ethan was old enough to hold his own pole. Ethan was 6 years old when his youngest brother Kyle was born and he was a mother hen to him. He loved helping his mom bathe and feed him, and even would carry him around in a front carrier. When Ethan was around 8 years old he asked his Grandpa Peter if he could go deer hunting with him. Grandpa Peter told him he had to be quiet and sit still which everyone knew that was impossible for Ethan. Grammy had given Ethan an old flip cell phone which he could only take pictures on and Ethan had taken it with him. We were sitting at the dinner table one night and everyone was teasing Grandpa Peter as to how come he never got a deer. Well, Ethan pipes up and says “cause he’s sleeping, that’s why”. Peter says “oh no I wasn’t I was just resting my eyes” Ethan goes and gets his phone and says “I have proof, I took a picture, it’s right here, you were sleeping”. Ethan was notorious for aquiring Uncle Travis’s clothes, only nine years difference in age. Travis would be missing this sweatshirt or that shirt and sure enough you would find Ethan wearing it or in his room.

Ethan was a hardworking young man. He would split and stack wood for his elementary school teacher Mr. Neill. Oh how he loved Mr. Neill, they had a bond. He worked doing flooring which he really enjoyed taking lots of pictures, also worked putting docks in. Then at age 19 he joined the crew on the F/V Titan out of New Gloucester, Mass. He went to the F/V Perseus fishing for eel, and a lobster boat out of Portland. Then finally this past summer ended up as a crew member on the F/V Emmy Rose. He loved that boat and it’s crew. Bobby, the Captain, took him under his wing and was working with him so that he could become a Captain. That was Ethan’s goal. He loved the money he made from his hard work and was finally able to catch up on bills and bought a car for his partner, LeeAnn, for it would be safer for her and driving the children in. He loved the views of sunsets and sunrises from that vessel, and took lots of pictures. When Ethan was out to sea he felt the most at peace with himself. He got to put his troubles behind him and see the beauty of the ocean.

Ethan was a loving and caring father to his two beautiful children, Noah (6) and Aleah (3). He and his partner, LeeAnn, had a wonderful co-parenting going on with Danica, Noah’s mom, which was a true blessing. Noah is the spitting image of his Dad in everyway, from looks, to mannerisms and actions. No denying who his Daddy is.

Ethan was the most honest friend, of which he had many, with a huge heart, full of honest opinions and he would give you the shirt off his back if he felt you needed it. He would go out of his way to help anyone who needed it. Ethan had a contagious smile that was full of life.

He is going to be dearly missed by all who knew him. He loved nice clothes and especially white sweatshirts, tee shirts and sneakers, which he would forget he had on when he decided to go four wheeling or dirt biking. He is known for his loving hugs, always giving them out freely.

A few of Ethan’s favorite sayings you would often hear him say, “send it, headed out, what’s everyone doing, so bored, want to go fishing, want to go rippin, you want one Ricky, what’s up my little man, it’s just the luck of the draw, I like doing what I do, the only four girls I need is LeeAnn, Aleah, Mom, and Gram, forever always no matter what, hey Gram, BuB, and I’ll be right back dude.”

He is survived by his two children, Noah Mathew Perry Ward and Aleah Sophia Ward; his partner and love of his life LeeAnn Newton of Bridgton and Pownal, who he has known since sixth grade; his mother Jennifer (Walker) Ward and her fiance’ Perry Picard of Pownal, his father Matthew Ward and his fiance’ Carmine Louese of Florida; his maternal grandmother Dora and Peter Wiers of Pownal, paternal grandfather Richard Walker and his wife Michelle of Florida, his Grammy Kathie and Grandpa Todd Farrington of Yarmouth, his Grandma Carol Raymond and Aunt Beth of Pownal; his brother Jacob Ward (21) and Kyle Ward (17) of Pownal; his uncles, Michael Ward and wife Melinda of Pownal, Andrew Ward and his wife Sara of Buxton, Adam Ward of Indiana.; great uncle, Larry Jewett and wife Wendy of Biddeford, great auntie, Brenda Walker of South Carolina, great aunt, Anita (Jewett) Wiers of Windham; uncles, Pete Wiers and wife Nicki of Topsham, Chris (Wiers) Bangs and husband Max Bangs of Westbrook, Travis Wiers and partner Ashley Cox of Steep Falls, aunts, Nicole (Wiers) Keary and husband Ethan of Raymond and Katelyn and Josh Hyde of Freeport; and all his many other great uncles and great aunts, uncles and aunts, cousins, friends and extended family. (Matt Brown, Robbie, Mike, Ethan, Cory (Jesus), Evan, Nate, Alex, and so many others).

He was predeceased by his paternal grandparents, Roy and Sandra Ward of Pownal; maternal great-grandmother, Vivian (Walker) Lawrence of Eutis, and great-grandparents, Jacquline and George Wiers of Pownal.

There will be a memorial service at the Elmwood Cemetery in Pownal in the springtime, where a headstone will be placed for a memorial for Ethan, where his friends and family can go and sit and reminisce.

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