Obituary of Reginald "Reggie" Charles Ward

Reginald C. Ward passed away peacefully at the Kennebec Manor Nursing Home in Saint John, NB on August 21, 2007 at the age of 80 years. Born in Moncton on July 16th, 1927 he was the son of the late Emerice Marie (Gallant) and the late Jonathan Charles Ward. He is survived by several cousins and is the last surviving member of his immediate family. Reggie lived most of his life in Lewisville, N.B. and worked as a carman for the Canadian National Railways at the Lower Yard Shops in Moncton and then later at the new Hump Yard, before retiring from the C.N.R. in 1982. His life long passions were steam locomotives, the Moncton & Bouctouche Railway and the history of the region. In his spare time, Reggie explored many of the back roads of New Brunswick and elsewhere in his Model T Ford searching for former industrial sites, old railway lines and sharing his historical knowledge with others. He was a great collector of old photographs, books, steam engines and other mechanical devices. His machine shop next to his home in Lewisville, was a museum in itself as friends and visitors watched the old belt driven machines humming away under Reggie's watchful eye. He could build just about anything without a blue print and will be most fondly remembered for the scale model steam locomotive and railway cars that he built with his very good friend Pierre Babineau. The model steam locomotive was a fixture on Main Street during Railroad Days, and later at his home in Lewisville, when he fired it up on the tracks that surrounded his property and offered rides to kids and adults alike. Reggie was extremely generous of his time and knowledge with those who shared his interest and passion of our local history and anything railway related. One of his proudest accomplishments was his contribution in 2002 to the publication of a manuscript entitled Memories and Stories of Lewisville, NB from the 1930's. He will be sadly missed and always remembered by family and friends throughout the Maritimes. (for a copy of that history, e-mail djmac nb.sympatico.ca.) Resting at Tuttle Bros. Funeral Home , 171 Lutz St. on Wednesday, August 22, 2007 from 2 :00pm - 4 :00 pm & 7 :00pm - 9 :00 pm . The funeral service will be held at Tuttle Brothers Memorial Chapel on Thursday, August 23, 2007 at 3:00 pm with Dr. Kenneth Corkum and Father Allison Carroll officiating. Interment will be in Bouctouche Presbyterian Cemetery . Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Tuttle Bros. Funeral Home, 506-857-8564. Online condolences can be made via www.tuttlefuneralhome.ca. Dontations in memory of Reg made to the Kennebec Manor Nursing Home Foundation would be appreciated. 475 Woodward Street Saint John, NB E2K 4N1 Service Information Thursday, August 23, 2007