Margaret Mary Ward, age 92, of Pigeon Falls, died on Monday, January 2, 2023 in the Pigeon Falls Health Care Center in Pigeon Falls.

Margaret was born on July 18, 1930 in Rice Lake to Joseph and Marie (Sovoboda) Drahota.  Margaret grew up in Sarona and attended the Janesville school for the blind for several years due to low vision.  She lived and worked in the Los Angeles, CA area for many years, where she met and married Herbert Ward.

Eventually, Margaret returned to Sarona to help care for her mother who lived to 102.  After moving to Spooner, she took great pleasure in remodeling her house and making cross-stitched quilts.  She later moved to Pigeon Falls to be near relatives.

Margaret was a great cook whose rhubarb cream pie and barbecued ribs were second to none.  While in Pigeon Falls, she made chicken soup and blueberry muffins each week to share with her sister-in-law, Ruth, who lived in the apartment next door.  In later years, she enjoyed tending her flower gardens, feeding the birds and especially enjoyed cracking open an occasional brew with Jeff, who kept her bird feeder full and heart happy.  Margaret was most appreciative of those who helped her both while living at home and at the Pigeon Falls Health Care Center.

Margaret is survived by a sister, Mary Ann; six nieces, Carmen (Jeff) Johnston of Pigeon Falls, Martha (Paul) Norton, Patricia Drahota, Siobhan Rathband, Kelly Rathband and Erin Smith  and several great-nieces and great-nephews.

In addition to her parents and husband, Margaret was preceded in death by a brother, Joseph; a sister-in-law, Ruth; a brother-in-law, Frank and two nephews, David and Andrew.

Memorials may be directed to a charity of your choice.

Graveside services will be held at a later date in the Sarona Cemetery in Sarona.