Ward-Spittler-Metz-Lyon Family Heritage Center: Carolyn Elizabeth Spittler Ward

     "My mother, Carolyn Ward, was a "one-in-a-million" kind of person whose greatest joy in life was helping others. Everyone who ever knew her respected and loved her and I am thankful that I have beautiful memories of her, for I only shared her love for 9 short years.

     She was born Carolyn Elizabeth Spittler on July 7, 1906 in Lake View, NY. She was the second oldest of her 3 brothers and 1 sister. She attended Lake View Elementary School and then Lackawanna High School. After high school she attended a private business school in Buffalo, NY.

All through her life she was very active in the church and was a teacher and then superintendent of the Lake View Congregational Sunday School. Her first job was working at the Nash Clothing Co. in Buffalo as a secretary and she was also employed at the Wanakah Country Club in this same capacity. She saved her money and at 20 bought her first car, a yellow Ford coupe.

In 1933 at age 27, she married Robert Ward of Boonville, NY whom she had met while working at the Nash Clothing Co. Through the Depression years and with the expenses of raising 4 children, she never had many of the conveniences that other women of that day had but through all this she never complained and would have sacrificed anything to provide for her children or to help anyone in need.

In 1952 she found out she had cancer. She went to Roswell Park Hospital which specializes in cancer treatment and the growth was removed. But by this time the cancer had spread and soon she was confined to a wheel chair. I was only 9 at the time but I remember how depressed and sorrowful she would get because she knew she was not going to live long.

On August 14, 1953 the Lord thought it best that she leave this world behind. Perhaps it is a blessing that she died for she was in great pain not only physically but in her heart. My mother never achieved any political or historical position in the world but the remembrances from people before and after her death showed how well she was admired by everyone who knew her. To me she stands for everything I wish to be someday."