A Spencer native, TV director and musician, Philip Scott Ward, 69, of Lansdale PA, died Oct. 22, of brain cancer at his home.
Ward was among a number of Roane Countians who launched careers in communications from the early days of WSPZ-AM (now WVRC) radio in Spencer.
Ward began his career in 1960 as a disc jockey, where he worked with the country music singer and songwriter Tom T. Hall.
While attending Marshall University in Huntington, W. Va., Ward was employed by WSAZ-TV in various positions before becoming a television director.
In 1968, after graduating from Marshall, Mr. Ward and his wife moved to Philadelphia, where he joined the production staff at WFIL-TV (now 6ABC). He received many commendations for his direction of TV programming and commercials.
Several years later, he joined the directors staff at what is now NBC3. Mr. Ward directed programming until his retirement in 2011.
During his career in Philadelphia, he directed celebrities including Joan Crawford, Gloria Swanson, Lionel Hampton, Muhammad Ali, Jesse Jackson, Mike Douglas, Captain Noah, and Sally Starr.
He was a member of the Broadcasting Pioneers of Philadelphia and the Directors Guild of America.
For 33 years, Mr. Ward, who sang bass, was a member of the Lansdale Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society. He sang and competed with the North Pennsmen and several other quartets before devoting his energies to administrative duties for the society's Mid-Atlantic District.
He was a member of its honorary fraternity, the DelaSusqueHudMac (named for the region's four major rivers: Delaware, Susquehanna, Hudson, and Potomac), and in 2008 was inducted into the district's Hall of Honor to mark his contributions to the proliferation of barbershop-style singing. During the last three winters, he sang in the choir at the First Presbyterian Church of Gulf Shores, Ala.
"Our biggest, most recent trips were to Costa Rica and Antarctica," said his wife, Sandra Lilly Ward, "but we also went to Egypt, Russia, China, and everywhere in between."
Born in Spencer, WV, he was the son of the late Clarence Scott Ward, Jr. and Mary Ann (Phillips) Ward.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Sandra (Lilly) Ward; son Bryan, his wife Kelly and grandchildren Rylie and Reese of Carlisle, PA; daughter Laura Ward of Wilmington, Delaware; and sister, Cynthia Nelson, her husband Tom and nephew Scott Westfall and niece Sarah Westfall, all of Michigan.
A memorial service will be scheduled in Spencer.
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