Naturalist, artist.
Born at Winnipeg on 30 January 1920, son of Edward and Nellie Ward and brother-in-law of H. Albert Hochbaum, he grew up in the Erinview district of Manitoba, where he developed a life-long appreciation for wildlife in general, and water birds in particular. In 1926, he moved with his family to Delta Beach where his father became a game warden and also started a mink farm. He attended Delta Beach School with his siblings.
During the Second World War, he served as a flight instructor and pilot with the 418th Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force. He spent much of his life after the war working at the Delta Waterfowl Research Station and for the family of American industrialist James Ford Bell, who owned a hunting lodge at Delta. Having received formal art training in New York City, Ward was well known for his wildlife art, which he pursued until shortly before his death. In 1970, he received a Centennial Medal from the Manitoba Historical Society “for his contribution as an artist, ornithologist and wild fowl conservationist”.
He married Joyce Isabelle Mair (?-2007) and they had two daughters and three sons. He served as President of the Manitoba Wildlife Federation (1967-1968).
He died near Portage la Prairie on 24 March 2012 and was buried in the St. Mary’s Cemetery.
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Delta Waterfowl Station (Delta Marsh, RM of Portage la Prairie)
Manitoba Organization: Delta Waterfowl Foundation
Transcription of Peter Ward tapes by Glen Suggett, 1969.
Obituary, Portage Daily Graphic, 29 March 2012.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 31 March 2012.
We thank Glen Suggett, Bruce Batt, and Bernard Pelletier for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 8 November 2024
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