Dorothy Melvania Ward

Member of Cornerstone Covenant Church. Dorothy Melvania Ward, 84, of Prosperity, died at 3:38 p.m. Sunday, October 9, 2005, in Humbert Lane Health Care Center, Washington. She had been ill since February 22, 2005. She was born July 15, 1921, in Grafton, W.Va., a daughter of Deward and Gertrude Felton Knotts. She was a Washington High School graduate. She had been employed by The Washington Co. as a hand decorator for more than 20 years. She was a member of Cornerstone Covenant Church and enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, shopping and hosting an annual Christmas party for her entire family. Surviving are two sons, Richard Allen and wife Denise Ward of New Kensington and Thomas and wife Marla Ward of Prosperity; a sister, Mary Beck of Washington; nine grandchildren, Robin Marhamas, Candace Bentz, Eric, Ethan, Nicole, Ryan and Ricky Ward and Robby and Janice Ann Walbrown; five stepgrandchildren, Amy and Joseph Kulbacki, Robin Nevin, Rhonda McCoy and James Myers; and 13 great-grandchildren. Deceased are a son, Bruce Wayne Ward; a daughter, Carolyn Witkowski; a sister, Evelyn Stainbrook; and a brother, Deward Knotts Jr. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in William G. Neal Funeral Homes Ltd., 925 Allison Avenue, Washington, and noon until 2 p.m., the time of services, Wednesday, October 12, followed by entombment in Washington Cemetery Mausoleum. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to The Arthritis Foundation or American Cancer Society.