Lura F. Ward

Mary Lura Fields Ward was born on December 23, 1934, in Lago Colony, Aruba, in the Dutch West Indies, and died on February 9, 2026, at her home in Carrboro, North Carolina, with her family.

Lura always said she swam before she could walk; perhaps it was true. She was more at home in the ocean than on land. Her childhood in Aruba was idyllic in many ways—days shaped by salt water, sunshine, dogs, and freedom. Bungalow 179 in Lago Colony was home and always remained so in her heart. Aruba was a defining force in her life, and her daughter grew up on its stories.

Her early life was shaped by travel and adventure. The family journeyed from Aruba to New York aboard oil tankers carrying refinery shipments, then flew by helicopter into Manhattan. After the family car was unloaded—yes, the car came too—they continued by road to her father’s family home in Alabama. These extraordinary journeys sparked a lifelong love of travel and a dream of seeing more of the world.

Lura graduated from Lago High School in 1952 and from Drury College in 1956, majoring in French. She spoke multiple languages and dreamed of a career with the United Nations. Instead, family called, and she eventually settled in Montgomery, Alabama, where she built her life. She married Henry “Hank” Delta Ward in 1968. Together they had one daughter, Kimberly. Hank preceded her in death in 1979.

She was one of four siblings and remained deeply close to them throughout her life. Family was always at the center of who she was.

Lura marched to the beat of her own drum and expected others—including her parents—to deal with it. From her fondness for the Esso Club (very much against her father’s wishes as a teenager), to choosing a college “up north,” to the many independent decisions that defined her adult life, she did things her way. She was courageous and stubborn—stubborn as a mule—and proud of it. These qualities often served her well, even when they challenged those around her.

She also loved a good debate. Lura never shied away from a spirited argument and delighted in thoughtful disagreement, her stubbornness matched only by her sharp mind and command of language. Debate was not conflict to her—it was engagement.

No matter how far she traveled, Aruba was always “home.” She maintained deep, lifelong friendships with her classmates there and traveled widely to attend Aruba reunions, cherishing those bonds across decades.

She was a voracious reader and worked for many years as a legal secretary, where she was respected and loved by her colleagues.

Above all else, Lura loved dogs more than she loved most people, a fact she stated plainly and without apology. Her childhood in Aruba was filled with dogs, and that love never faded. As an adult, she shared her life with many beloved Border Collies. For years she trained dogs, taught classes at the Montgomery Alabama Dog Obedience Club, and participated in obedience trials both as a competitor and as a judge. She formed lifelong friendships there—bonds that endured across decades and lasted until her final days.

She firmly believed that her dogs would meet her joyously at the gates of heaven. That belief, and the image of it, brought her and her family great comfort in her final weeks.

Lura was also loved by her neighbors and well known for her fearlessness—particularly when it came to snakes. Armed with her trusted shovel, she never hesitated to protect her home, her dogs, or anyone else who needed it.

Her courage and stubborn resolve carried her through the final chapter of her life. Changes in her health led her to move from Montgomery, Alabama, to Carrboro, North Carolina, in 2023 to live with her daughter. She quickly built a meaningful new life, making friends at Charles House Eldercare Center and finding independence and companionship through the Chapel Hill Transit Easy Rider service. These communities allowed her to remain engaged, adventurous, and fiercely independent.

Lura maintained her courage and stubbornness to the very end and fought with the same resolve that defined her life. Her family expected nothing less.

She is survived by her daughter, Kimberly Ward Hart, and her grandsons, Tristan David Hart, Evan Delta Hart, and Shane Edward Hart, all of Carrboro, North Carolina; by her sister, Eleanor Phillips (George) of Headland, Alabama; and by her brother, Dr. Edward Blount Fields Jr. of Pagosa Springs, Colorado (preceded in death by his wife, Rilla); as well as her beloved nieces and nephews.

Services will be announced at a later date. In accordance with her wishes, her cremated remains will be returned to the water.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Charles House Association, whose care and community meant so much to Lura.