Ward Ellis Jenkins, age 61, of Clermont, Fla., formerly of Graytown, Ohio, was born July 31, 1959, in Wilson, N.C., to Thomas Ward and Peggy Ann (Ellis) Jenkins. He died on October 27, 2020, at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Fla
He married Angela “Angie” Firestone on September 24, 2008, in Graytown, Ohio, and the two of them went off on an adventure to live in the Sunshine State in 2013. He was so proud of the two joys of his life, Chay Thomas Jenkins and Ashlee Suzann (Jenkins) Sharp. He was an avid fan of The Ohio State Buckeyes, Cleveland Browns, and Cincinnati Reds. He loved to golf, but friends and neighbors knew that Ward always had a project he was working on around his home.
Ward was a 1977 graduate of Marion Harding High School, Marion, Ohio. His jobs over the years led him to the HVAC wholesale sales positions that he did for the past 20 years. He worked for Tropic Supply, Inc. at the Orlando, Fla., branch. He was previously employed at Johnston Supply, Genoa, Ohio; Lute Supply, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Robertson Supply, Sandusky, Ohio; Williams Distributing, Maumee, Ohio; and Goodman Distribution, Clermont, Fla.
Ward loved his time working as the golf superintendent at the Oak Harbor Golf Course, Oak Harbor, Ohio, and the Oak Harbor/Graytown area became his second “hometown.”
Ward is survived by his wife Angie, of Clermont, Fla.; mother Peggy, of Fort Wayne, Ind.; son Chay (Lindsay) Jenkins and their children, Maeve and Baylor Ward, of Hamilton, N.J.; daughter Ashlee (Todd) Sharp and Baby Sharp due in February 2021, of Greenville, S.C.; step-son Marcus (Kristen) Feckley of Loganville, Ga., and their children, Cydni, Lucas, and Chloe; step-daughter Morgan Feckley, of Clermont, Fla.; brother Tom (Kari) Jenkins and sister Cyndi (Steve) Knight, all of Fort Wayne, Ind. Also held dear are in-laws, Jim and Donna Firestone of Genoa, Ohio; Dan (Melissa) Firestone, Dix (Mary Beth) Firestone, Janet Firestone and Susan Stagner. He also loved his nephews and nieces Tyler Jenkins, Reid Morris, Megan (Josiah) Wagner, Carson Firestone, Wyeth Firestone, and Grace Firestone.
He was preceded in death by his father, Thomas Ward Jenkins, and paternal grandparents, John Thomas and Alberta (Titus/Parry) Jenkins; as well as maternal grandparents Eddie Staton and Lona Virginia (Harris) Ellis.
Due to COVID, no funeral services will be held at this time. The family is planning a celebration of life next year in Ohio. The family suggests memorial donations be directed to the Ward Jenkins Memorial for the Oak Harbor High School golf program. Send checks for Oak Harbor Athletic Dept. (memo for Ward Jenkins Memorial-Golf) to Oak Harbor High School, Attn: Dan Hoover, Athletic Director, 11661 State Rt. 163, Oak Harbor, OH 43449.