Dr. Judson C. 'Jake' Ward, 97, Emory icon

This year, the Halloween bash didn't take place. Thank budget cuts.

But it may return to honor  Dr. Judson  C. "Jake"  Ward Jr. of Decatur. He died Sunday at Budd Terrace Nursing Home from complications of hip surgery. He was 97.

A memorial service will be at 2:30 Wednesday at Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church on the campus of Emory University. Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home of Marietta is handling arrangements.

Dr. Ward's Emory ties span decades. There, he earned his bachelor's degree (1933)  and a master's degree (1936), both in history.

Then he entered the workforce, first as a history and English teacher at Fitzgerald High in South Georgia. He also taught at Georgia Teachers College, now Georgia Southern University, and at Birmingham-Southern College.

He earned his doctoral degree in history from the University of North Carolina. He then served as president of  Georgia Teachers College prior to being named an  assistant chancellor for the state university system.

In 1948, the Army veteran returned to Emory as the school's dean of  the undergraduate liberal arts college and as a professor of Georgia history.  Nine years later, he was promoted to vice president and dean of faculties.

In 1970, he was named executive vice president, a post he retired from in 1979, according to the Emory University Web site.

As an Emory administrator, Dr. Ward oversaw the admission of  women to all campus schools. He presided over the admission of the first black student.

In 1984, the historian volunteered to oversee the Emory Alumni Association's travel program. A year later, he became dean of alumni, where he helped keep the network vibrant and strong.

"He was more like a figurehead for us," said Allison Dykes, vice president for alumni relations, "but it was much more than that because he actually worked with us. His role was to help us engage alumni, and he had the history and relationships to do that."

So without question, the Marietta native can be considered an Emory icon.  It came honest, said his son, Peter Ward of Marietta.

"Emory, absolutely, was his life," his son said. "He developed a love of education at a very early age, and he was good at it. He had an unusual curiosity about him."

At Emory, Dr. Ward was more administrator than teacher. He satisfied his  itch for the latter with the "Young Couple's Class," a Bible study group, at Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church. He taught the class 56 years.

"On his 30th anniversary as the teacher of the class, the members, in a tribute to him, changed the name of the class to the Jake Ward Class,"  said senior pastor David Jones.

Additional survivors include his wife of 63 years, Susan-Jane Weyant Ward of Decatur; two additional sons, Mike Ward of Decatur and Jonathan Ward of  San Marcos, Calif.;  a daughter, Becky Davenport of Linville, Va.; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.