Rev. James Michael "Jim Mike" Ward

Rev. James Michael “Jim Mike” Ward, a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, departed this world and went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Monday, December 16, 2024, at the age of 73. He passed away peacefully in his Spring Hill, Tennessee home, after a two-year hard fought battle with ALS.

Jim Mike will be remembered as a man who embraced life with a big heart, a warm smile, and a sense of humor that brightened every room he entered. He loved deeply and laughed often – his joy for life was contagious. Jim Mike was born in Huntington, West Virginia to James and Eloise Ward. He graduated from Huntington East High School, and while there, he met the love of his life, Carolyn Hoag. They both attended Marshall University and were married one week after graduating from Marshall. Jim Mike was a devoted and loving husband to Carolyn for 51 years, and together they raised two sons, Todd and Matt.

After graduation, Jim Mike was a teacher and football coach at Gallia Academy High School in Gallipolis, OH, then moved back to WV to teach and coach at Milton High School, and then at Parkersburg High School. He loved spending time with their two sons, and was always there for them. Jim Mike loved going to their games, and even coached many of their teams in youth baseball, basketball and football, and teaching them how to play golf. He was a man of strong faith, who taught his sons the importance of family, hard work, and doing what’s right. His love of sports and mentoring young people led him into refereeing high school basketball, advancing to become a Division I college basketball official for over 25 years. 

It was during the time the family was in Parkersburg that Jim Mike accepted God’s calling into full time ministry. For the next 42 years, he served as pastor in 5 churches in West Virginia: North Parkersburg Baptist, Summersville Baptist, First Baptist Williamstown, South Parkersburg Baptist, and Pine Grove Baptist.

Retiring from ministry in 2015, the couple moved to TN to be closer to family. But Jim Mike felt the call to return to ministry in 2017, serving as associate pastor at First Baptist Church Fayetteville in Fayetteville, TN until 2022.

Jim Mike is survived by his wife, Carolyn, of Spring Hill; son, Todd Ward and his wife Janna of Spring Hill, TN; son, Matt Ward, of Elon, NC; four grandchildren, Ragan, Baker, Campbell, and Roman; brother, Tom Ward and his wife Joan of Winchester, TN. 

Because of the grace of God, Jim Mike impacted many lives, and will be greatly missed. His family and friends in TN are planning a ‘Celebration of Life Service’ in Spring Hill, TN on February 1, 2025. This service will be held at 12 noon at The Church at Station Hill, 8083 Station Hill Dr., Spring Hill, TN.

Also, the family is planning a second ‘Celebration of Life Service’ for Jim Mike in his home state, WV, on Saturday, March 22, 2025 at Pine Grove Baptist Church in Williamstown, WV. More details about this service will be announced in the future.

In lieu of flowers, the family would love for any monetary donations be made to Parchment Valley Conference Center in Ripley, WV. Online donations can be made at: https://parchmentvalley.org/give. Please select in the “To” menu box, “In Memory of Jim Mike Ward”.