James Roger Ward, loving husband, father, and grandfather died December 23, 2021, in Goodyear, AZ. Jim was born July 6, 1945 in Covington, Kentucky, the son of Mary (Farley) and Harry Wolters. Jim was raised in Batesville, Indiana, and graduated from Batesville High School in 1963. He served his country honorably as a diver in the US Navy during the Vietnam era, departing for service the day following his high school graduation.
Jim had a long successful career in the funeral industry with Hillenbrand Industries. He began his career as a casket salesman for Batesville Casket Company where he was honored and recognized as “Salesman of the Year”. Jim continued his career as a Regional Director for the West Division with The Forethought Group, another Hillenbrand Industries company, where he was instrumental in rolling out a new funeral preneed insurance company with the pilot program in Phoenix, AZ. After 28 years with Hillenbrand Industries, Jim joined Homesteaders Life as a Regional Director where he worked for ten years. Not quite ready to retire, but ready to no longer travel, Jim became Director, Marketing and Sales for Mickelson & Ray, Inc. a cemetery vault and casket provider in Phoenix, retiring in 2014.
Jim was a man’s man with a golden heart. He was a man with character and a man of faith who honored God. Everyone who met Jim admired and loved him. He shared a lifelong love of golf and particularly enjoyed playing the beautiful ocean courses in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico during an annual Thanksgiving holiday trip.
Jim married Jeri Alcocer in August of 1989. Jim had two daughters from a previous marriage and Jeri had two sons. Jim is survived by his loving wife, Jeri of Goodyear, AZ; daughters Alicia Pollard of Scottsdale, AZ and Wendy (Jay) Cool of Phoenix, AZ; granddaughters, Karstyn Pollard of Boston, MA and Logan Pollard of Chandler, AZ; Breanna (Shane) Anderson of Peoria, AZ and grandson, Jacob (Devin) Teplansky, of Colorado Springs, CO; great-granddaughters, Coralee Teplansky and Liliana and Sofia Anderson. He is also survived by his brothers, Rod Wolters and Bob Wolters of Greensburg, IN, George Wolters of Indianapolis, IN, and Harry Wolters of South Carolina. Jim was preceded in death by his twin brother, John Ward in 2020, and his two step-sons, Christopher Alcocer in 1995 and Michael Alcocer in 2015.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Donations can be made in Jim’s memory to the Wounded Warrior Project.