Funeral services will be held Tuesday for Clarkesville City Councilman Steven Ward. Ward passed away suddenly on December 11 from an apparent heart attack. He was pronounced dead at Habersham Medical Center in Demorest, according to Habersham County Coroner Kasey McEntire.
His funeral is set for 3 p.m., December 14, at Whitfield Funeral Home’s south chapel in Baldwin. Visitation will be from 1-2:45 p.m. at the funeral home prior to the service.
Ward was first elected to the Clarkesville City Council in 2017. He was re-elected to a second term this past November.
In a statement on the city’s Facebook page, Clarkesville officials expressed their “deep sorrow” in announcing Ward’s death. “His service and deep devotion to the City of Clarkesville will be missed,” it says.
“Steven served the city with a willing spirit and a keen financial mind,” Mayor Barrie Aycock tells Now Habersham. “He will be greatly missed by all of us at the city.”
Habersham County Commissioner Bruce Harkness was a friend of Ward’s. He says Ward was an “amazing leader for the city” who actively tried to work with the county, as well.
“I was so proud of the awesome man that he had become,” says Commissioner Harkness. “His loss will be felt by many in the whole community and it is a tragedy because he was such a great person and great leader.”
In addition to his public service, Ward worked for Pruitt Health.
He is survived by his mother, Barbara Ward of Clarkesville, and his sister Nancy Holliday and her family of Demorest. Aycock asks the community to pray for Steven’s family, including his long-time girlfriend Kellen Jenkins and her three sons.
Steven Ward was 44 years old.
