Jonathan C. “Cory” Ward, age 47 of Tipton, formerly of Marengo, died Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa.  Funeral Services: 10:30 A.M. Monday, November 21, 2011 at the First United Methodist Church, Marengo, with Rev. Paul Frederickson and Rev. Katie Dawson officiating. Burial will be in the Marengo Cemetery. Visitation: 2 to 4 P.M. Sunday, November 20, 2011 at Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo. A memorial fund has been established.

Jonathan Courtney Ward was born June 21, 1964 in Marengo, Iowa, the son of Orrin and Marilyn Watts Ward. He graduated from Iowa Valley High School with the Class of 1983. Cory served in the U.S. Army Reserves and obtained his LPN nursing degree at Madigan Army Hospital in Tacoma, WA. Cory was united in marriage to Rhonda Smith, and to this union his daughter Alexis was born. The couple divorced. He then married Kelly Mayfield and a son Jerry and a daughter Stephanie were born. The couple later divorced.

Cory worked at the Belle Plaine and Tipton nursing homes and also did respite care.  Most recently he was a mail handler and letter carrier in Iowa City and then Tipton.  Cory was one of those who never met a stranger, would give the shirt off his back to those in need, and no matter what time of day or night, no matter what you needed, he would be there to help.

Survivors include his son, Jerry Ward and fiancee’ Jess of Iowa City; two daughters, Alexis Wagner and husband Jason of Tipton, and Stephanie Ward of Iowa City; two grandchildren, Kaden and Madi Wagner; his parents, Orrin and Marilyn Watts Ward of Cedar Rapids, and a brother Chris Ward and wife Dawn of Fulton IL.  He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Bill and Mabel Ward and Harold and Gale Watts.