Betty Jo Ward

Obituary For Betty Jo Ward

Betty Jo Ward died June 16, 2025 in New York City. Although she was a fourth generation Coloradan, Betty Jo ultimately considered herself an Arkansan as many of her happiest years were spent working with her husband, the late Harry P. Ward, MD, during his tenure as Chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) from 1979-2000.

Betty Jo was born on May 24, 1934 in Alamosa, Colorado. She was the eldest of three daughters of Gentry Stewart, a public school principal, and Genira Blankenship Stewart, a music teacher and homemaker. Experiences during her childhood summers at her grandparents’ ranch in the San Luis Valley helped forge Betty Jo’s formidable personality. Plucking chickens, canning fruit and vegetables in sweltering temperatures, preparing breakfasts at 4 am for ranch hands, and chasing snakes out of the outhouse gave her a no-nonsense attitude toward life, a remarkable work ethic, and indomitable grit. During this time, she also developed her passion for classical music as her Saturday afternoon treat was accompanying her beloved grandmother to piano lessons.

In 1951 Betty Jo graduated from Central High School in Pueblo, Colorado where she was elected Head Girl. She then received a full scholarship to study piano performance and music education at the University of Northern Colorado, completing her degree in 1955. Betty Jo met the love of her life, Harry Ward, in eighth grade. They started dating in ninth grade and were inseparable until his death in 2008. They married in 1955 and had five children. Betty Jo managed the family with a rigid schedule, exacting academic expectations, nightly raucous family dinners, and an endless supply of brownies. She helped with school projects, provided piano accompaniment to her children’s musical performances and never said no when someone brought home a stray kitten. She had a dry, wicked sense of humor and wasn’t afraid to share her opinions. Independence and competence were qualities she valued and fostered in her children. Like her husband, Betty Jo could spark a conversation with anyone and had the ability to put people at ease with her clever wit and beautiful smile. She was a friendly, generous neighbor and a dependable friend. She was an excellent seamstress, crafter, and prodigious knitter whose afghans grace couches in hundreds of homes all over the country.

In addition to teaching private piano lessons, Betty Jo was a tireless partner in supporting Harry, first as Dean of the University of Colorado Medical School, then in Little Rock as Chancellor at UAMS. As a consummate host, she and Harry entertained thousands of people over the years at their home with events for medical faculty and students, university staff and area health institutions, donors, visiting dignitaries and a wide-ranging collection of friends. She and Harry traveled throughout Arkansas, the United States and around the world to meet with prospective donors, officials, clinicians and researchers in order to boost support for university initiatives. The success and growth of UAMS was a source of great pride to Betty Jo. In 2015 UAMS renamed the Harry P. Ward Tower to the Harry P. and Betty Jo Ward Tower in recognition of their uniquely effective partnership.

She worked extensively as a volunteer. In addition to being a founder of the UAMS Gift Shop and a founding member of the ACANSA Arts Festival Society, she served on numerous boards including the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber Music Society of Little Rock, and Friends of KLRE/KAUR. In 2001 she was the recipient of the Florence Crittenton Woman of Distinction award for her community service. In her later years, Betty Jo made the difficult decision to leave her adopted city of Little Rock to be near her children, living with her son and near her daughter in the Bay Area and then New York City, near two of her daughters and several of her grandchildren. Even at 91, Betty Jo continued to knit afghans and sweaters, challenged herself with crossword puzzles and the NYT Games App and practiced Bach preludes. She delighted in period dramas on PBS, Mel Brooks and Monty Python, spirited political conversations and her nightly cocktail before dinner.

She is survived by her five children: P. Stewart (Margaret) Ward of San Rafael, CA; Leslie Jones of San Francisco; Elizabeth Ward Land (Ken) of Maplewood,NJ; MaryAlice Rickert (Jim) of Bloomington, IN; and Amy Ward (Ron Amstutz) of New York as well as her eight grandchildren: Christopher Ward (Melanie) of Englewood, CO; Harry Ward of Lake Tahoe, CA; Alice Jones of Portland, OR; Stewart Rickert (Anna) of Brooklyn, NY; Robert Rickert-Murphy, MD (Amelia) of Baltimore, MD; Elizabeth Rickert of New York, NY; Audrey and Celeste Amstutz of New York, NY; and two great grandchildren: Maisie Ward and Eileen Rickert-Murphy. She is also survived by her two sisters: Peggy Capp of Castle Rock, CO and Amilu Stewart, MD of Colorado Springs, CO.

Donations in Betty Jo’s memory can be made to Harry P. Ward Distinguished Chancellor’s Chair/UAMS or Friends of KLRE/KUAR.

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