Mrs. Patricia Ann Ward, our Mom, of Winston-Salem, NC, passed away peacefully in her home on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at the age of 81.

She was born in Mt. Vernon, OH but spent her early years in Waterloo, South Carolina where she lived with her beloved grandparents while her father served in WWII. After living in Spartanburg, SC and Chapel Hill, NC, she and her family settled in Charlottesville, VA where her father spent his career as a professor at UVA. She graduated from The College of William and Mary with a degree in Sociology and Psychology. After a few years as a social worker, she earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

It was during her graduate school internship in Charlotte, NC that she met our dad, Gene Thomas Capps, to whom she was married for over fifty years. After teaching in Mecklenburg County Public Schools, they relocated to Winston-Salem after Dad was offered a job at Old Salem Museums and Gardens. Subsequently, Mom accepted a job teaching language arts and social studies at Wiley Middle School. It was at Wiley that she discovered her interest in helping students get organized and equip them with study skills. She maintained this passion throughout her career in education, and many of her students would say that she helped them get organized not only for school, but for life as well. She ended this part of her teaching career at Walkertown Middle School teaching seventh grade, then spent the next seven years staying home with Jordan and me.

In 1984, once we were both in school, Mom began her career at Summit School, where she would stay for the next thirty years and the remainder of her career. She taught fourth grade for fifteen years, then transitioned to the ninth grade to teach social studies and later world history. She ended her career as the ninth grade Dean of Students and Curriculum Coordinator. Over her years at Summit, she led many initiatives and projects she believed would help students reach their potential later in life. In 2014 she received the Marian Millaway Douglas Award for Faculty Excellence, which recognized her commitment to the teaching profession and high expectations for students, amongst other accolades. The Patricia Ward Capps Award in Social Studies is presented each year to a graduating ninth grader.

Mom struggled in retirement, as teaching and helping others was truly her passion in life. She continued to be involved at Summit as a substitute teacher and later a volunteer in the library until weeks preceding her passing.

Our Mom was kind and patient, and endlessly generous with those aspects of her personality. She was such a good listener and gave copious encouragement and guidance - wisdom for life that we still remind ourselves of today. She was highly intelligent but always humble, never expecting accolades or praise but accepting it with grace when given. She was fiercely independent, strong and as her students would say, strict but fair. She taught, mothered and mentored countless students over the years, and loved each and every one in her own, quiet way. She was quick-witted and the best storyteller, and after her stroke in 2018 when these parts of her were altered, she maintained her deep sense of commitment and loyalty to those she loved, which were many.

Most important of all, Mom was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother (Mimi). My sister and I both always knew how much she loved us, the pride she felt in our accomplishments and in the women we became. We are the product of our parents in mind, body and spirit. They shared a deep love and respect for one another, and our Dad openly adored and admired Mom throughout their marriage. She missed him terribly since his passing in 2023. They both so loved their grandchildren, our children, and felt deep joy watching them be born and grow. We wish so much that they had been able to stay with us longer, but we take comfort in knowing they are together again, and that Dad is making her laugh and roll her eyes as he did so well and so often.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Virgil Scott and Alyne McNeill Ward and her husband, our Dad, Gene Thomas Capps. She leaves behind her sister, Rebecca Joan Ward and her brother, William Milan Ward of Reston and Palmyra, respectively. In addition to her siblings, she is survived by us, her two daughters, Jordan McNeill Capps (Brian Hoffman) of Winston-Salem and Anna Clayton Brant (Keith) of Carlisle, Pennsylvania; her five grandchildren, Winston McNeill Hoffman, Harper Anne Hoffman, Fischer Gene Brant, Ford Walker Brant and Charles Thomas Hoffman; and our Dad's dog, Annie, whom she dutifully cared for in honor of him until she could no longer. Annie will live out her days in Pennsylvania, and will be loved and doted on as she has been for eleven years.

We love you, Mom. It was an honor being your daughters, your girls. Jordan and I know how immensely lucky we were.

A celebration of life will be held at Home Moravian Church on Saturday, June 14 at 11 am.

We are requesting those who wish to express sympathy to consider donating to The Summit School Scholarship Fund in her name. Condolences may be shared at www.salemfh.com

Submitted by Anne Robichaux.