Former Viking hoopster and Bigfork native William Steven Ward died suddenly June 10, 2013, following a tragic motorcycle-deer collision on the Swan Highway, not far from his home.

Ward, 60, was born March 13, 1953, in Kalispell to Dolores “Dot” and William “Bill” Ward of Bigfork. He attended Bigfork elementary and high schools, graduating in 1971.

Following in his father's footsteps, Ward began working in the telephone communications field variously for Alamon, Northern Telecom and Centurytel. These jobs took him to on-location sites in such places as Arizona, Florida, Alaska, Washington, Georgia and even Puerto Rico.

On Nov. 18, 1972, he wed a local girl, Yvonne Ingram, formerly of Swan Lake. While traveling here and there because of work, the couple raised two daughters and a son, Jennifer Ward and Lindsay Derby, currently in Vancouver, Wash., and Patrick Ward of Bigfork.

Will enjoyed sports of nearly every kind, but was particularly fond of basketball. While mother Dot was a fixture at the scoring table during the many years his siblings defended Viking honor on the high school court, William's encouragement and support from the stands lacked nothing in enthusiasm. He also was an avid fan of NASCAR racing. Ward enjoyed fishing, hunting and shooting and, back in the day, his prowess on water skis was well known.

Will is survived by his wife, Yvonne; their children, Jennifer, Lindsay and Patrick; three grandchildren; three brothers, Shawn of Dillon, and Michael and Robert of Bigfork; three sisters, Terry Gross and Mary Ward of Bigfork, and Kathy Cole of Kodiak Island, Alaska.

An open house celebrating Willie's good life and the fun and cherished impact he had on his many friends and family is planned for this Saturday, June 15. The gathering will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Ingram family home, located at 11478 Swan Highway 83, a short distance south of the Swan and Ferndale highways junction.