Funeral services were held Saturday, September 19, 2015 at Mt. Zion M. B. Church for Mrs.Effie Lee Ward, 98, who died Sunday, September 12, 2015 at Jeff Davis Community Hospital. Rev. Ozell White, pastor, officiated with interment following in the Ward Cemetery. Johnson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Effie Lee Ward was born to the late Henry and Vergie McNair Foster in Helena, Arkansas. She was married to the late James M. Ward. She was a member of Mt. Zion M. B. Church where she was a Sunday School Teacher and WMU treasurer. She worked with the NAACP during the Civil Rights Movement for Voter Registration.

She was preceded in death by: children, Randolph Ward, Carter Ward, Hattie Ward and Samuel Ward; brothers, Benjamin Foster and Carter Foster; sister, Juliet Thomas; grandchildren, Christopher Ward, LeDonovan N. Ward, Elisha Ward and Vickey L. McInnis.

She is survived by: children, James L. (Edna) Ward, Henry (Sandra) Ward, Frankie (Patricia) Ward and Rettie (Alexander) Simmons all of Prentiss, MS; Mary Treadwell of Chicago, IL and Joanna Ward of Anderson, SC; sisters, Millie Davis And Geraldine Parker both of Hattiesburg, MS; and Pauline Davis of Texas; 30 grandchildren; 45 great grandchildren and 5 great great granchildren; many other nieces and nephews, relatives and friends.