Elfriede Ward, 86

Elfriede Eve Ward, 86, passed away Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood.

Elfriede, the daughter of Sebastian and Elisabeth (Kouba) Pohl, was born September 14, 1926 in Bilinka, Czechoslovakia. She lived in Czechoslovakia until the end of World War II when the Russians occupied Czechoslovakia and forced her and her mother to leave. They left with what they could carry and after a three-month walk, ended up in the U.S. zone of Germany.

At the age of 25, Elfriede had the chance to come to the United States and arrived in Eagle Bend, Minnesota in late 1951, where she stayed with Esther and Harry Johnson. While living there, she worked at Klug’s Café and met her future husband, Glenn Ward.

After marrying, Elfriede and Glenn farmed with Glenn’s parents and lived in a little house on that farm. In the fall of 1958, they bought a farm near Alexandria and farmed there until 2001. At that time, they sold the farmland but kept the farmstead. They lived there until Glenn passed away in 2001.

She is survived by her son, Alan Ward of Alexandria; daughter, Peggy (Keith) Lattanzio of Crystal Lake, IL; and granddaughter, Grace Lattanzio of Crystal Lake, IL.

Elfriede was preceded in death by her parents, Sebastian and Elisabeth Pohl; and a sister who died at the age of 12, Elisabeth Pohl.

To honor Elfriede’s wishes, there will be no visitation or services.

To send condolences to the family, visit the funeral home’s website at www.hoplinfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements are with Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood.

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