Kathy Sue Ward

Kathy Sue (Ditmer) Ward age 70 of Mountain Home, AR passed away peacefully surrounded by the love of her children on October 8, 2023.

Kathy or ‘Kathy with a K’ as she would tell you, was born on November 16th,1952 to Lowell and Margaret Ditmer of Greenville, OH. She was an only child and the apple of her daddy’s eye. Her teenage years were spent in Bluffton Indiana where she met the love of her life, Dan, and an exceptional group of friends who called themselves the ‘Rat Pack.’ After graduating from Bluffton High School in 1971, she attended college and became a Radiologic Technologist. 

Kathy and Dan married in 1976 and went on to have 2 children, Cody and Kylie. They raised their family in Fayetteville, AR. Kathy continued to work as an XRT which she enjoyed, but her real love was design; X-Ray paid the bills, but creating spaces was her thrill. She loved spending hours out junkin’ and had a natural eye for a good deal. She loved funky stuff, original art, mid-century modern furniture, 1950’s kitchenware, pottery, and pretty much anything vintage glass. She always kept at least one antique booth up and running as her side hustle. She loved every minute she spent creating vignettes, rearranging treasures, and restocking the empty holes with the next perfect item up for grabs.

Kathy spent many years volunteering in her community and was always learning something new. She helped in the office at Washington Elementary where her kids attended school, volunteered with local hospital auxiliaries, and served as an usher at the Walton Arts Center. She spent time organizing and playing in bridge clubs, helped with a pug rescue group, offered eclectic entries in the county fair, and always had her hands in some sort of gardening adventure. She rescued a number of pugs throughout the years and several stray cats that found their way into her heart. She loved to be around people, to offer insight and to be helpful. She was simply one of a kind, and she wanted everyone to know it.

Kathy was a wonderful mother and wife. She certainly had her own way of showing her love, but it was always there, just waiting to be had. She supported and protected her family fiercely. For those of you close, you will never forget the wrath of Kath. Nor would she want you to. Her love for Dan was undeniable and unwavering. Their bond was unbreakable. Kathy was the most playful when it came to music. She collected records and tapes, and she eventually had quite the collection of playlists for all occasions. She loved all music genres, and she really did dance to the beat of her own drum or the dashboard piano if you were lucky enough to see her play it.

Kathy leaves behind her children, Cody Ward and his wife, Ryane, and Kylie Scarbrough and her husband Daniel, all of Fayetteville, AR. She was the best ‘MiMi’ to grandchildren Sagely, Cayden, and Emery Ward.

Kathy is preceded in death by Dan, her husband of 43 years. They are united in eternal life.

Kathy wished for a private celebration of life. The family will gather to share fond memories, stories, and jam to MiMi’s playlist, just as she wanted.

The family wishes to thank the staff of the Cleveland Clinic, Lung Transplant Services, and beyond for the world-class care they provided. Please consider talking with your loved ones about organ donation. Online information is available at www.organdonor.gov

Memorial contributions may be made to The Humane Society of the Ozarks at https://hsozarks.org/ or the Humane Society of North Central Arkansas at https://www.humanesocietyofnca.org