SOUTH PORTLAND – Laura Elizabeth Ward, 94, died on Feb. 26, 2021 surrounded by family in New Albany, Miss.

Laura was born August 29, 1926, the youngest child of Howard E. Hawkins and Erma (MacArthur) Hawkins Davis of Portland. She grew up in South Portland, graduating from South Portland High School in 1944. She attended Gray’s Business School and worked in the office of Jordan Marsh.

She was married to Donald C. Ward for almost 70 years and settled in South Portland where they raised two daughters, Donna and Beverly.

Laura was an active member of the First Baptist Church in South Portland where she taught Sunday School and Pioneer Girls for many years.

Laura especially loved the outdoors and was an avid walker. People would often comment on seeing her exercise daily all about the city. She loved nature and knew where and when to gather everything from wild blueberries, Christmas berries, bittersweet, milkweed pods, wild irises, jack-o-lanterns, pussy willows, etc. and she would use nature’s bounty to cook and decorate her home . . . family referred to her as our “hunter-gatherer”.

One of her hobbies for many years was antiquing and she later assisted her granddaughter, Sheri, with booths from Brunswick to Wells. She also loved to cook and although she did not have formal training in nutrition, it was important to her to always plan delicious, well-balanced meals. Her grandchildren will remember her especially for their favorite desserts.

After her husband died in 2015, Laura moved to New Albany, Miss. to live with her daughter, Beverly, and son-in-law, Larry. Their household was always filled with friends, dogs and family members which she enjoyed immensely.

She is survived by her daughters, Donna Marston of South Portland and Beverly James (Larry) of New Albany, Miss.; six grandchildren, Sheri Feeney (Peter) of Portland, Frank Marston (Alina) of Hampton, Va., Matthew Marston (Rosie) of Cumberland, Heather James of Memphis, Tenn., Laura Blount (Nick) of Olive Branch, Miss., and Michael James of New Albany, Miss.; nine great-grandchildren, Liam and Connor Feeney; Luke, Anna and Michael Marston; Thomas and James Marston; and Jones and Colton Blount. She is also predeceased by her two brothers, George and Benjamin Hawkins.

A private memorial service will be held at a later date.