Clifford Gary Ward was released from his frail body and heard the words he’d so longed to hear – “Well done My good and faithful servant” when he died at age 85 on Sunday, December 21, 2025 at Homestead of Manhattan assisted living.

He was born November 26, 1940 to Clifford D and Thelma R. (Jordan) Ward in Emporia, Kansas. His mother forced him to ask a girl on a prom date in high school, and four years later he married that girl without dating another.

He and Carolyn (Schupp) Ward were married for over 65 years. She survives at their home. That marriage produced two children, Eric Ward (late wife Amy) of Manhattan and Dan Ward (Ninfa) of Fountain, CO. He leaves nine grandchildren and one great-grand child.

Gary received his Master of Science degree from Emporia State University and was a biology teacher at Manhattan High School for 18 years. During the summer he and his family enjoyed living in various national parks, where he served as a seasonal park ranger for 12 years. He also served a brief enlistment in the US Army after high school.

During his teaching years, he was co-founder of the Wildcat Outdoor Laboratory Facility and trail (aka “Project WOLF) providing outdoor learning experiences near the high school. He co-founded the local chapter of the Audubon Society and served as president for several years. He developed the still-continuing Wide Horizons Nature Program at MHS, in which high school students would develop nature programs to deliver to grade school classes.

He served as the president of the local Full Gospel Business Mens’ Fellowship for two years, after which he was called into full time ministry as the pastor of Living Word Church, where he served from 1983 until 2016. Under his leadership, the church established Living Word Christian School, which was released in 1994 to become an independent community-based school, now known as Flint Hills Christian School. He also led the congregation in an extensive building renovation project and move to present facilities in 2002.

Gary retired from the church he loved in mid 2016, and his passion became to see a hunger for revival among the churches in the Manhattan area, and he helped coordinate a group of local pastors who met regularly.

He is the author of three Bible-based books and several booklets, as well as a book about bears for the National Park Service. Weekly messages from his publications have gone to many locations around the world through social media. Several books were translated into native languages in India and are widely distributed there.

Cremation has occurred, and a memorial service will be announced in the future.

Memorial contributions can be made to Living Word Church, Manhattan, and may be left at the funeral home, or the church, and marked "Gary Ward Memorial"