David Milo Ward

David M. Ward of Provo, Utah, passed away peacefully in his home on the morning of October 27, 2024. Dave was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1937 to Newman and Zeneth Ward. He was always curious and smart. He enjoyed spending time at the city library and taking machines apart to see how they worked. He did well in school and was the valedictorian of his class when he graduated from Beaverton High School. It was there he met his future wife, Mary Smurthwaite. Set up on a first date by a mutual friend, they met and never really dated anyone else after that evening. 

Dave was accepted to Stanford University with honors and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 1959. He and Mary were married later that year. They lived in Corvallis, Oregon, for the next year where their first child, Debi, was born in 1960. Soon after they moved back to California so that Dave could begin graduate work at Stanford. Their second child, Mike, was born there in 1962. While working on his Master’s degree, Dave had the opportunity to teach some lower-level engineering classes and often said, “It was the most fun he ever had.” He chose, in 1963, to accept a teaching position at Brigham Young University in the College of Engineering and Technology. They moved to Provo and added two daughters to the family. Betsy was born in 1965 and Cathi in 1969. They spent the next 25 years in their Edgemont home while raising their children. 

Dave was a gifted and dynamic teacher. He loved his students and wanted to know about their families and plans as well as their names. He served as Assistant Dean from 1977 to 1982 and as Associate Dean from 1982 to 1984. He was grateful for that time but was very excited and happy to get back to teaching. In 1984 he was given the Teacher of the Year Award from the graduate students in the electrical engineering program. In 1986 he received the Outstanding College Teacher award from the BYU College of Engineering and Technology. In 1994, he was presented with an Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Student Alumni Association. He retired in 1997.

Dave also served as bishop of a BYU student ward from 1983 to 1985, as well as a branch president at the MTC from 1989-1991. He loved getting to know the young people in his stewardship and often welcomed them into his family as well. After retirement, he and his wife, Mary, served a mission from 2002-2004 in the Japan Fukuoka mission. Once home, he served on the board of the Adopt A Native Elder program as the treasurer for several years. 

Dave and Mary traveled extensively but were always happy to return to their family which grew to consist of 20 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his foster son, Franklin Mannie. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Mary, his five children, Debi (Jeff) Crandall, Lori Mannie, Mike (Carolyn Bentz) Ward, Betsy (Trent) Ricks, and Cathi (Mark) Finlayson.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 2nd at Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary in Orem, UT. Visitation from 9:30 am until 11:00 am. The service will begin at 11:30 am. Burial will be in the Eastlawn Memorial Hills Cemetery. 

In lieu of flowers, please contribute to a charity of your choice.

Condolences for the family may be expressed on this page.

For those unable to attend in person, you may view the Services  HERE PART 1    HERE  PART 2