Harold A. Ward, III of Winter Park, Florida died peacefully on March 30, 2026 at the age of 92. Harold was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Lewis (Libby) Ward, and his sister, Kathleen Dullea. He is survived by his children, Catherine Ward McNamara (Dennis), Tom Ward, and Mary Ward Christian (Brit); his seven grandchildren, Harold McNamara, Margaret McNamara Mandal (Tanoy), Anne McNamara (Danny Sarkis), Joseph McNamara, Jackson Christian, Everett Christian, and Elizabeth Christian; and his great-grandsons, Ari Mandal and Milo Mandal.

Harold was born in Orlando, Florida, on October 1, 1933, and grew up in Winter Park, Florida, with his father and mother, Harold A. Ward, Jr. and Elizabeth (Betty) Michael Ward, and his sister Kathleen. He left his hometown after his junior year of high school to attend the University of Chicago, where he completed his undergraduate studies in two years and graduated from the law school with honors at age 21. He then moved to Washington, DC, where he clerked for Justice Hugo Black of the US Supreme Court, followed by service from 1956 through 1959 as an attorney member of the US Air Force, assigned to the Office of the General Counsel to the Secretary of the Air Force. In Washington he met, courted, and married the love of his life, Libby Lewis. Upon completion of his military service, Harold and Libby declined the chance to work at a large DC law firm and stay in Libby’s hometown, choosing instead to return to Winter Park, where Harold joined the firm now known as Winderweedle, Haines, Ward and Woodman, and he and Libby started a family and began a long and fruitful life together.

Harold’s legal practice eventually came to focus on estate and tax planning, and he was recognized nationally as a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, among other honors. Harold had many individual, business, and not-for-profit clients who valued his expertise and judgment. For many years he was the chair of both the Charles Hosmer Morse Foundation, which owns the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art in Winter Park, and the Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation, which helps to support the museum among other charitable causes. He was a founding trustee and incorporating member of the Edyth Bush Foundation, a major contributor to local arts, education, and health care, and served as trustee for many years for the Warren and Augusta Hume Foundation, the Elinor and T. W. Miller, Jr. Foundation, and the Violet and Harold Jaeke Foundation.

Harold contributed his time and talents to many worthy causes throughout his career. He served for over four decades on the Rollins College Board of Trustees, including four years as Chair. Rollins presented him with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1986 and its Declaration of Honor in 1998. He was both a trustee and attorney of record for Winter Park Memorial Hospital (now AdventHealth Winter Park), and served as director and vice president of the Winter Park Library Association. He became Winter Park Chamber of Commerce’s only two-term president in 1971 and 1972, was its Citizen of the Year in 1999, and in February of 2026 was honored with its Lifetime Achievement Award. He was an honoree at the Winter Park Historical Association’s Peacock Ball in 2009. He served the First Congregational Church of Winter Park, UCC, where his family have been members since 1886, both as trustee and moderator, and served the United Church of Christ at the Florida Conference level as moderator, and at the national level as chair of its Board of Homeland Ministries and vice-chair of its Pension Boards.

Although he continued his charitable foundation work for all but the last few weeks of his life, Harold officially retired from his law firm in 2024, after practicing law for nearly 70 years. Throughout his career he was known for his kindness, decency, humility, loyalty, trustworthiness, honesty, diligence, wisdom, and integrity. Even with all of his professional commitments, Harold was an actively involved and very loving father and was deeply devoted to his parents. In his later years, he took particular joy in his grandchildren and great grandchildren and made sure they knew they were loved unconditionally.

Most of all, Harold was devoted to his wife, Libby. Together they were an unstoppable and irresistible team. They forged countless friendships and served the community with their combined talents. After he lost Libby in 2024, Harold bravely carried on and made the most of his remaining days, but he missed his partner every day.

The rock of his family and a pillar of his community, Harold will be sorely missed and never replaced. He would be delighted, and probably a bit surprised, to live on by inspiring lives of joyful service among the many he touched.

A memorial service in celebration of Harold’s life will be held at the First Congregational Church of Winter Park, 225 S. Interlachen Avenue, on May 2 at 11:00 a.m., reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the First Congregational Church of Winter Park or a charity of your choice.