The following is the full obituary of Larry Philip Ward.

Larry Philip Ward, 92, of Modesto, California, peacefully passed away at home on January 31, 2026, surrounded by family.

Larry was born March 12, 1933, in Blackwell, Oklahoma, the youngest child of Earnest Ward and Vera (Vacin) Ward. His father, an Oklahoma oil land man, died before Larry was born, leaving his mother and infant son in difficult circumstances. Due to financial hardship, Larry left home as a pre-teen and went to live with his married sister, Patricia. His sisters, Earnestine and Patricia, preceded him in death.

As a young teenager, Larry studied the Bible alongside his mother, who was then associated with the International Bible Students, later known as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Larry was baptized in 1947 at the age of 14, beginning a lifelong devotion to his faith.

During his teenage years, Larry lived in Fort Collins, Colorado, working in a family friend’s auto garage. He developed a lasting love for cars, motorcycles, and mechanical innovation. At age 17, while test-driving a repaired scooter, Larry was struck by a motorist and suffered a compound leg fracture—an injury that would trouble him for many years but never slow his determination.

In 1951, at age 18, Larry moved with his sister Patricia and her husband Milton to Modesto, California. He worked nights for the Modesto Ice Company while devoting his days to full-time ministry. In 1953, Larry met Naomi Froberg of Chicago at a large Jehovah’s Witness convention in New York. They were married in Chicago on May 7, 1955, and in May 2025 celebrated 70 years of marriage.

Larry brought his bride back to Modesto, where he first worked as a business agent for IBEW Local 684 before entering the building trades. He earned his general contractor’s license in 1961, launching a career in residential and light commercial construction that lasted decades. His work was primarily based in Modesto and the Groveland mountain area. In 1967, one of his custom homes in Modesto’s Sherwood Forest neighborhood received Modesto Bee Home of the Week recognition. In the late 1980s, Larry and a partner were honored by a historical society for their construction and ownership of the Mountain Leisure Center in Groveland.

Larry was known for embracing innovation and enjoying the road less traveled. From the 1960s through the 1980s, he was a Franz Oil dealer, promoting what was then a cutting-edge engine oil filtration system. He proudly drove a Citroën when few Americans had ever seen one—laughing along when others teased its unusual appearance. Larry also co-owned and flew airplanes with friends, content to leave the pilot’s license to his son Joel, who earned his at age 17.

Larry’s construction skills were invaluable to his congregation. He assisted with the building of many Kingdom Halls over the years, including the well-known two-day Kingdom Hall builds of the 1980s and 1990s.

Known for his generosity with both time and resources, Larry served as an elder in his congregation for many decades and remained active until his death. He was deeply committed to the ministry and loved discussing Bible prophecy—especially the book of Revelation—and his hope of everlasting life on earth, including the resurrection, in which he had faith and hope all his life.

Larry is survived by his wife Naomi; his children Deborah, Joel, and Aaron; his grandchildren Melina, Shayla, Brianna, and Mitchell; his great-grandchildren Garrett, Ellie, Milaya, Mitchell, and Nikyia; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held via Zoom on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at 1:00 PM Pacific Time. Details are available at the Memorial Service page on this site.

Larry’s remains will be laid to rest in a private family ceremony.

An Obituary at Legacy.com can be viewed at this link: https://www.legacy.com/legacy/larry-ward