Margaret Haley Ward of Charlottesville and Mathews, Va., passed away Aug. 5, 2015 after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Born in 1945 in Waynesboro, Va., she moved to Hampton, Va., in 1952 and graduated from Hampton High School, class of 1963. Margaret earned her A.A. degree in Sociology from Saint Leo College and a B.A. degree in Psychology, 1989, from Saint Leo College and graduated first in her class.

Throughout her life, her main focus was her children, family and friends. Margaret’s career spanned 23 years being employed at Fort Monroe, NASA, the College of William and Mary where she administered seminars and workshops for the School of Business Administration’s Center for Executive and Professional Development. She also served as Director of the Women in Focus Center at Mary Immaculate Hospital where she developed and implemented the new Center and provided a program of short-term seminars presented by local physicians. Margaret also worked as a Marketing Counselor at Chambrel Retirement Community in Williamsburg.

She retired after battling cancer for many years. Margaret was a survivor of lymphoma (twice), endometrial cancer (twice), bladder cancer and colorectal cancer.

She was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Gloucester. Margaret enjoyed reading, photography, cooking and collecting recipes, designing and decorating houses, music, a Gloucester Book Club, a Charlottesville Bible Study, going to meetings with her husband, lunches with her daughter, spending time with her family and friends and her little dog, Sweetie. She designed, built and decorated several houses with her husband.

Due to her health issues she was unable to participate in many activities, but always was thankful for the time she did have with others and the things she was able to do. Margaret was also very grateful for the help of many wonderful friends and medical professionals who helped her so much during her lifetime.

She was preceded in death by parents, Landon W. and Clarita C. Haley.

She is survived by her husband, Harry M. Ward; son, Jeffrey H. Mann; daughter, Amy F. Mann; stepdaughter, Sherri Ward Janelle and husband Christopher; stepson, Gary T. Ward and wife Karen; grandchildren, Katherine and Elizabeth Janelle and Olivia Ward; and brothers, Warren Haley and wife Helen, and Phillip A. Haley and wife Toni, and five nieces and nephews.

Funeral service conducted by the Rev. Dr. Douglas Nagel was held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015, at First Presbyterian Church Gloucester. Interment was private at Windsor Gardens Cemetery.

The family desires contributions in Margaret’s memory be made to The Hospice House, 675 Peter Jefferson Parkway, Suite 300, Charlottesville, Va. 22911, or the American Cancer Society, 1445 Rio Road E., #104, Charlottesville, Va. 22901, or the Harry M. and Margaret H. Ward Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 38, Mathews, Va. 23109.

Arrangements by Hogg Funeral Home and Crematory, Gloucester Point.

Family and friends may share condolences and memories at www.hoggfh.com.