John Atwood Ward, 63, of Suffolk, died Monday, Dec. 1, 2003, in Obici Hospital.

Born on Oct. 11, 1940, in Gates County, N.C., he was a son of Margaret Rountree Ward and the late Walter A. Ward.

Mr. Ward was an agent for Nationwide Insurance and was a member of the Life Underwriter’s Association. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd fellows and Providence United Methodist Church, where he was active in the leadership of the church.

Survivors include his wife, Annie Marie Ward; daughter, Beth Ward Langston, her husband, David, of Tifton, Ga.; son, John A. Ward II of Westwood, Calif.; stepdaughter, Lori McClenny Bender, her husband Bill, of Houston, Texas; step son, Jeffrey Kane McClenny of Suffolk; sister, Frances Ward Brooks of Raleigh, N.C.; brothers, Walter A. Ward Jr. of Chesapeake, and Thomas A. Ward of Raleigh; grandchildren, Mary Catherine Langston, Madelin Bender and Burke Bender.

The funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday in Providence United Methodist Church by the Rev. Hank Teague with burial in Eureka Baptist Church Cemetery. The Rev. Cameron Currin will assist at the burial site.

The family will receive friends in the R.W. Baker & Company Funeral Home & Crematory from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

Memorial donations may be made to Providence United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 3109 Providence Road, Suffolk, Va. 23434.