Marie W. Ward

Lola Marene “Marie” Winstead Ward, age 94, of Long Beach, Mississippi, passed away peacefully on March 9, 2026. Born on September 8, 1931, she was the daughter of Willie Howard and Alberta Winstead.

After the death of her father at a young age, Marie was raised by her mother in Pea Ridge, Mississippi, alongside her four brothers and six sisters. As a child, she worked in the cotton fields and helped care for the family homestead.

At the age of 16, she met the love of her life, Wayne. Just two weeks later they eloped and were married in a peanut patch where they were married by a preacher who came in straight from the fields still wearing his overalls.

Marie and Wayne made their home in Long Beach, where she later completed her high school education. She worked at the Milk of Magnesia Plant before beginning a career at Memorial Hospital. There she served as a secretary and worked closely with the nursing staff before retiring as secretary of the Physical Therapy Department. She also volunteered with the hospital auxiliary, giving of herself to the community she loved.

Marie was a faithful and active member of the First United Methodist Church of Long Beach. Over the years, she taught Sunday school, sang in the choir, cooked meals for shut-ins and funerals, worked at the Church bazaars and faithfully helped prepare weekly communion until her health declined.

Above all, Marie cherished her family. She was a loving wife to Wayne and a devoted mother to Steve and Mark. She fully embraced her role as a grandmother, hosting weekly sleepovers filled with “South of the Border” meals, Mama Rosa pizza, spaghetti, and her famous hotcakes for breakfast. She was always taking her grandchildren to practices, teaching them cooking and crafts, or simply spending time with them in any way she could.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 78 years, Wayne Ward; her son Steve Ward and daughter-in-law Sonia; her grandchildren John, Alisha, Ben, Anna, Matthew, Ashley, Lindsey, and Ethan; and 15 great-grandchildren, along with a host of extended family members and dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her son, Mark Ward; daughter-in-law, Shari Ward; her parents; and her siblings.

A funeral service will be held on March 13, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., with visitation from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m.at Reimann Family Funeral Home in Long Beach with Reverends Ethan Ward and Billy Wilson presiding.

A graveside service will immediately follow.

Pallbearers will be Ben Ward, Matthew Ward, Caleb Sappington, Duane Winstead, Tylan Ward, and Kaiden Sappington.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of Woodland Village Nursing Center for their compassionate care. They also wish to thank the United Methodist Church Side-by-Side program, where Marie loved spending Wednesdays with her dear friends.

Marie was deeply loved and will be missed every day by all who knew her.

Riemann Family Funeral Home, Long Beach, is honored to serve the family.