Often a life falls out of this world, sometimes tragically too soon.
Rewi Ward passed away at the age of 36 on May 24th, 2007, leaving a dark cloud over a world that held him as a shining light. He was one of the strongest, most organized, intelligent, genuine, original, philosophical and athletic individuals one could ever hope to know. His charismatic personality carried an uncanny ability to drag humor, fun and excitement everywhere he went. We will miss him more than he could ever know.
Rewi loved the sea. He loved the forest and mountains. He gained his strength and vitality from nature, and in return he had a deep admiration for all things alive and the powerful forces of the natural world. Rewi loved people – he loved to make us laugh and help us navigate life, and he did this with wisdom, humor and respect. He was a schoolteacher for 11 years; mostly at George Middle School in Portland, OR, where he taught science, Spanish, and “how to be a decent person”. For many of us, he was a teacher for much longer than this, and he leaves behind a beautiful legacy in his influence on our lives.
Rewi was born in Ann Arbor, MI on December 7, 1970. He grew up in Seattle, Vancouver, B.C., and Salt Lake City. He went to college in Washington State, where he married Kim Loovis in 1996. Their years together were some of the best in his life and she remained a steadfast friend. He is survived by his mother, Maria Ramirez; and siblings, Kimiora, Reniera and Ricardo Tane Ward, as well as Kim and countless friends in Portland, Seattle, Bellingham and Salt Lake City. He was preceded in death by his father, Ryk Ward, and his biological mother, Jennifer Milne, both from New Zealand.
"I see The Universe around me, and I see beauty in it, and I feel the force of life, and it seems that there really might be something to it. The all-powerful force of nature. The divine. And when you think of that as a real possibility, it’s so awesome! One day, I suppose we find out. In the mean time, soak it in! Walk with eyes open, in wonder and love."
