Obituary of hayward thomas ward, jr.

Hayward Thomas Ward, Jr., 68, of Pensacola, Florida passed away on Thursday, May 6, 2021. Hayward Thomas Ward, Jr. "Tommy", was from Monroe, Louisiana He lived in Pensacola 41 years and attended Wossman High School, Monroe, LA. Tommy was an Offset pressman and bindery worker. He is preceded in death by his father, Hayward Thomas Ward, Sr. and his mother, Marie Oliver Ward Drake. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Connie Chastain Ward, of Pensacola Florida; his brother, Billy C. Ward (Debbie), West Monroe, LA , and their children, Amber White and Matt Ward; his sister, Sharron Ward Moore (Clifton) of West Monroe, LA, and their son, Josh Moore; his sister-in-law, Tommie Lyn Blackburn and her sons, Tad, Thom and Tony Blackburn, all of Milton, Florida. Although he relocated far away from his family in Louisiana early in adulthood, he frequently made trips back home to visit with his mother and spoke regularly to to his family members by phone, celebrating the births of his nieces and nephews. He provided a home in Pensacola for his wife's parents, Vernon and Evelyn Chastain, for their retirement years and helped to rebuild an in-law cottage for their residence. He was a deeply loyal sports fan, particularly of the New Orleans Saints and first saw them play in Tulane Stadium before they had their own venue. He was also a long-time fan of the LSU Tigers football team. When circumstances permitted, he enjoyed traveling to Louisiana to attend games of either team. He was a dedicated and skillful employee and worked in print shops in Louisiana, Illinois and Florida for many decades, obtaining specialized training and numerous skills on a variety of presses and associated machines. Over the course of his life, he became a cat lover, a self-described "cat daddy," and adopted a collection of cats of every description. He especially loved black cats and leaves behind a female black cat and two kittens who gave him much enjoyment. A Memorial Service will be held on Monday, May 17, 2021 with visitation 3:00 - 4:00 PM, service at 4:00 PM at Family-Funeral & Cremation, 5627 North Davis Highway, Pensacola, Florida 32503.