Sunshine Parham Ward

Sunshine Parham Ward, 93, passed away Tuesday, January 15, 2019 at River Place Nursing Center in Amory. Born May 1, 1925 in the Parham Community, she was a daughter of the late John Robert Parham, Sr. and Dessie Madonna Ausborn Parham. Sunshine graduated from Anguilla High School and married Eugene William Ward, Sr. on August 25, 1945. As a devoted homemaker, Sunshine took great pride in raising her and Eugene’s children and opened up her home to many foster children that she wholeheartedly considered her own. With a huge heart and a selfless attitude, she never lived her life directly for herself, always meeting the needs of not only her family but of her community as well. On any given day, she could often be found doing for others, whether it be babysitting, cooking, sewing clothes or band uniforms or basketball uniforms, or just simply talking and listening. She loved to travel and lived by her motto “have bag, will travel and when are we leaving?” She shared a lifetime of travel memories with her sisters and family, but her best times were spent with her children, traveling to numerous basketball tournaments and band competitions. Sunshine lived her life in devotion to God and faithfully served at Christian Chapel Church of Christ. She is survived by her daughters; Joan Ward, Port Angeles, WA, Cornelia Jones (Roland) Seffner, FL, Melissa Van Etten, Gulfport, MS and Julie Powell (Kevin), Columbus, MS; sons, Gene Ward (Barbara), Thaxton, MS, John Ward, Lynchburg, VA and Josh Ward (Crystal), Hatley; sister, Hazel Perkings, Rolling Fork, MS; brother, Price “Hank” Parham (Mary), FL; grandchildren, David Ward (Erica), Jessica Williams (Bo), Ian Jones (Kate), Hilary Read (Josh), Colin Jones, Stephen Van Etten (Stephanie), Andrew Van Etten, Wendy Culver (Rusty), Devin Powell, Sunnie Bella Ward and Joshua William Ward; great grandchildren, Eli Rodgers, Indie Jones, Laney Jones and Philip Reed; sisters in law, Ruby Nell Parham and Betty Parham Miller; special friend, Irene Gregory and a host of nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents and husband, she is preceded in death by an infant son, Robert Stephen Ward; sisters, Marguerita Parham and Joyn Faye Parham; brothers, Riley Quenton Parham, John Robert Parham, Jr., Paul Ray Parham and John O’Connor Parham. Visitation for Sunshine will be on Thursday, January 17 at Cleveland Moffett Funeral Home from 5-8 PM. A private graveside will be held at New Hope Cemetery with her grandsons serving as pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pine Vale Children’s Home, 1872 County Road 700 Corinth, MS 38834 or to a charity of choice that will benefit children. Condolences may be shared at clevelandmoffettfuneralhome.com.