Ford Malcolm Alward
August 25, 1931 – February 1, 2022
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Ford Malcolm Alward
(August 25, 1931-February 1, 2022)
Service will be held on Saturday, May 28, 2022 at 12:30 from the Woodstock Baptist Church. Rev. Craig Woodcock will be officiating.
On February 1, 2022 at Carleton Manor, Woodstock, New Brunswick, following a period of declining health, Rev. Ford Malcolm Alward passed peacefully into the awaiting arms of his Lord and Savior and to be with Jean, his loving wife of 60 years, who went before him.
Dad was born on a farm at Lower Ridge, King’s County, NB on August 25, 1931. He was the eldest son of Roy and Ella (Keith) Alward. When he was a young boy the family moved to Havelock, where his father would grow a successful business. As a youth, Dad enjoyed youth group, reading, playing guitar, life on the farm, fishing and fun times with his many cousins and friends.
As a young adult, Dad attended business school in Moncton, with the plan of operating his own business. He also joined the 8th Hussars in Sus and served as a Lieutenant and tank commander in the Reserves. Feeling led to full time Christian ministry, Dad made the decision to attend Gordon College, in Boston, MA, where he earned his BA. He was active in student life and served as student council president when the school relocated to Beverly, MA. Following graduation, Dad attended the University of Guelph for one year, studying agriculture to help prepare him for work in the mission field. He then returned to Beverly and completed his MA (Theology).
In what would foreshadow a lifelong commitment to youth camping, Dad met Mom at Camp Wildwood, in McKees Mills, NB. In what would become a lifetime of love, their first date was spent in a row boat on the Bouctouche River (neither of them could swim), followed by banana splits. Dad and Mom dated for seven years, many of them spent from long distance, as Dad attended university and seminary in Massachusetts. Mom joked that she sometimes wondered if Dad would ever pop the question, but the truth was he was saving up money from lunches he skipped to be able to buy her ring.
Mom and Dad were married in Sus, NB on May 31, 1958. They spent their first two years in Beverly, MA, as Dad finished his theology degree. Dad and Mom had planned to serve on the mission field in India, but due to health concerns, God’s plan for them changed and they served together, pastoring throughout the Maritimes, for nearly five decades.
Throughout the years Dad pastored at First North River, Glace Bay, Riverside-Albert, Nackawic, Florenceville, as well as doing interim work in Fredericton, Quispamsis, Keirsteadville and finally in their adopted home of Woodstock. He touched and was touched by many people along the way. Dad was a pastor in the truest sense of the word…he was a faithful servant, a teacher, a shepherd, a counsellor, a mentor, an administrator and a conveyor of “corny” jokes from the pulpit. He lived what he preached. He cared deeply about not only the people of his congregation, but also those in the communities he lived. He taught each of us the importance of building community through being a cub leader, school board volunteer, helping coach hockey when the community needed a coach (even though he never played hockey), growing vegetables and flowers for the local fair competition, starting a local naturalist club and in later years a very committed door to door political volunteer.
A special passion for Dad and Mom was youth camping, from his days as a student at Campus in the Woods in northern Ontario, to his involvement as a camp director and board member at camp’s Wildwood, Green Hill Lake, Shiktehawk and Tulakadik, Dad witnessed the difference camping could make in the lives of children and their families.
Dad had many interests in his life. He was incredibly well read, an avid reader of the bible and all things theological, of history and politics, the news (he still was reading the TJ this past week) and especially nature (he loved National Geographic). Over the years he was an avid stamp collector, as it brought the world to his fingertips.
He loved genealogy and researching our family’s loyalist roots. His “Alward” book project with his brother Arnold took nearly ten years to complete and took him through the Maritimes, New England and to Europe in his research. He learned to use a computer and the result was four volumes and nearly 2000 pages of pride and love in knowing who we are. He worked on other family genealogy projects and helped other families research their histories as well.
He was an avid bird watcher and citizen naturalist from his earliest days, even when it wasn’t popular. He taught us all to respect nature. In fact, a lone robin stood guard in a tree outside his window during his final three days. He taught us how to fish, although we debate how much success he had. He had not only a green thumb, but a green arm. He grew beautiful vegetable and flower gardens.
He loved “food”, especially strawberry sundaes and lemon pie. He loved to experience exotic foods from India, blue cheese, eggplant and soy burgers (in the 70’s before they were perfected) …sometimes to our chagrin.
He loved his family deeply. He was a father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was proud of each of his children including David (Rhonda), Mark (Brenda), Stephen (Janette), Paul (June) and Rebecca (Jeff). Dad and Mom taught us how to love unconditionally; to support and encourage; to go after our dreams, whatever they were; and at times helped meld us when needed.
Dad was especially proud of his grand-children and loved spending time, knowing what they were up to and having pictures of each of them. He will be missed much by Nathen, Jonathan (Shubhi), Bradley, Benjamin, Hannah, Mel, Phoebe, Alison and Jadon, as well as great-grandson Rowan.
Dad leaves to mourn his brothers Arnold (Janice) and Walter (Connie), sister’s-in-law Marilyn (Eldon) and Grace, and brothers-in-law Paul and Reg, as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by his loving wife of 60 years Jean, his parents, his sister Elsie, sister-in-law Donna and brother-in-law Bev.
The family would like to thank all the team at Carleton Manor for the wonderful care Dad received over the past seven years and especially throughout this most difficult time during the pandemic. The care and support Dad and our family received during his final days is gratefully appreciated. Thanks to Dr. Allison Boyle and Dr. Sarah Ganham for the attentive care provided to Dad.
The family would also like to thank Dad’s church family at the Woodstock Baptist Church for their love and support. A special thank you to Pastor Craig and earlier Pastor Leonard for their caring touch.
Service will be held on Saturday, May 28, 2022 at 12:30 from the Woodstock Baptist Church. Rev. Craig Woodcock will be officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Green Hill Lake Camp, the Woodstock Baptist Church Building Fund, or the Carleton Manor Foundation.
Arrangements will be under the care of Culberson Funeral Home, 188 Connell Street, Woodstock, NB.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Ford Malcolm Alward August 25 1931 February 1 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Woodstock, Province: Nouveau-Brunswick