Ward Bertholf
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Ward L. Bertholf, 95, of Tequesta, FL, passed away in his home on 28 January 2022.
Ward was born in Hollywood, CA and moved to Binghamton, NY the following year.
He graduated from Binghamton North High School and the State University of New York at Potsdam, NY, before becoming a music teacher at Morristown, NY, Central School. In 1950 he was married to Margaret Anne Crawford of Morristown, and in 1951 enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving two years.
Ward then attended and graduated from St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, with a Masters of Education.
In 1955 he became a teacher in the Binghamton City School District.
Ward retired from teaching in New York in 1977 and moved to Hobe Sound, FL.
He returned to teaching at the Stuart Middle School, Stuart, FL, for a couple years, then left teaching to work at Barnett Bank in Hobe Sound.
In 1990 he retired from the bank but kept working, at Publix, then Secure Storage (Hobe Sound). Moving to Tequesta in 2001, he retired for good in 2004.
From 1945 - 1977 Ward was also a professional piano player, working many nights and weekends throughout NY's Southern Tier and North Central PA.
Ward was predeceased by his parents Ward Sr. and Geraldine (Southee), his brother David, his sister Nancy Keeler and his son Jeffrey.
He is survived by his daughter Bethany Humpage, his son David and daughter-in-law Suzanne (one of his 6th-grade students), seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Ward was a good man who loved and cared for his family, was a stalwart citizen who voluntarily served on a number of boards in his communities, and believed in and practiced personal responsibility while promoting equal opportunity, treatment and justice for all. He made a difference.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Treasure Coast Seawinds Funeral Home, Stuart, with an online registry at: www.treasurecoastseawinds.com.
Internment at Riverside Memorial Park, Tequesta, will be family only.