Vance Elmer Ward

    To say my heart is broken wouldn't even begin to explain how I feel.  A friend told me, "it's because he has always been there. Since the day you were born you were a Daddy's girl.  He has always been part of your life, your story, through the ups and the downs."  He was the definition of what a husband, dad and grandpa should be. He was hard working, compassionate, giving, loving and forgiving.  Like Larin said our Dad was both a hero and a legend.  Someone we all looked up to, he taught us how to work hard and want to strive to be better. He showed us how important family is by how he lived and made us each feel. I'm so grateful for all the things he taught me, our conversations, all our memories.  I'm proud to be his daughter, part of his legacy. Love you forever Dad..."until I see you again."

The Obituary 

Arbon, ID - Vance Elmer Ward beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and brother passed away on July 2, 2026.

Vance was born in Malad Idaho on March 25, 1948. He was the second of five children born to Elmer Vance and Edith Jones Ward. He grew up splitting time between Malad and Arbon, creating many memories with cousins and grandparents.

He graduated from Malad high school in 1967 and married his high school sweetheart, JoAnn Harrison on April 11, 1968. They were later sealed in the Logan, Utah LDS temple. They made their home in Arbon, Idaho where they were blessed with five children. Vance enjoyed the hard work of farming and ranching.  Vance and JoAnn bought their first stud in the early 80’s.  This started the beginning of Ward Quarter horses.  He found joy in studying the genetics of his horses, finding the best qualities for his herd.

He discovered a thrill for speed and snowmobiles. He was very successful at oval snowmobile track racing. When racing snowmobiles, he got tired of stressing out over the next new thing coming out. He started Ward Ski-doo so he could get the quickest information on the latest models and started selling and servicing snowmobiles.

His two favorite seasons were harvest and hunting season.  As a fourth-generation farmer, he farmed with his brother Darrel and two of his sons, Shawn and Larin. He especially looked forward to harvest time and running the combines. He was still running the combines up until last year.

In hunting season Vance was able to tag out every year. He loved the challenge of a long distance shot and once shot an elk at 1,150 yards.

He was a longtime member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, where he served in many callings. He had a deep love for his Savior and helped instill this principle in his children.

His greatest joy and love in life was his family.  He left a legacy of 19 grandkids and 17 great grandkids with 2 on the way. He is survived by his wife JoAnn Ward, Wendy Ward (daughter in law) Shawn Ward, Larin (Jessica) Ward, Heather (Matt) Casper, Jessi (Zach) Tarbet.

He is preceded in death by his son Troy Ward, his parents Elmer and Edith Ward, his sister Linda Davis, Brother in law Ken Davis, two son in laws (Jared and Kevin), and two daughter in laws (Lyndell and Shawnta).

Life Sketch written by Jessi and Heather

Vance Elmer Ward

        Our dad was no ordinary man, most people knew him as a reserved man with a big heart, a good listener, great advice giver, a man who loved Arbon Valley, farming and loved his family even more! But behind that kind smile was a side of mischief.  Few people knew him as the man who loved an adrenaline rush, driving fast cars, racing snowmobiles, white water rafting, sacring people, shooting guns, paintballing and much to our dismay the thrill of winning a Prime Time Auction.

Vance Elmer Ward was born to Elmer and Edith Jones March 25, 1948 in Malad, Idaho. His family split their time between Arbon and Malad.  Growing up our Dad got to spend lots of time with his Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. All of them becoming very close.  This instilled our Dad’s deep love for family. Growing up our Dad idealized his Grandpa Ward and always told us of their grand adventures!  His favorite being the time his Grandpa (Elmer Sr) saw a bear in the garbage bin and he walked up behind the bear and kicked it in the butt then turned and ran.  He tripped over Vance and his cousins. When a forest ranger came up and got after the boys.  Telling them to leave the bear alone. The boys looked at Elmer Sr who was behind the dumpster shushing them telling them not to tell the ranger he was there.

Vance loved to tease, and no one was safe from his playful sense of humor.  Arlene quickly learned to stick to Vance so she didn’t get teased.  They once convinced Laurie that rice was actually maggots and raisons were deer poop, leading Laurie to get sick to her stomach. One time while babysitting Laurie ended up drinking a bottle of perfume, landing her in the hospital getting her stomach pumped…Vance and Arlene were never asked to babysit again.

Vance graduated from Malad high school in 1967.  This is where he met and later married his high school sweetheart JoAnn Harrison. They were later sealed in the Logan, Utah LDS temple.  While dating, He drove an Aztec bronze Impala Super Sport he would always keep it washed and waxed and he didn’t want to get it dirty. Dad would drive his parents car; The Pontiac chief that when you turned on the bright lights it showed the Chiefs head, to pick mom up.  Then go to his house to get his car because mom lived on a gravel road.

When mom qualified for national Rodeo dad followed mom all the way, to Elko, NV, literally the whole way down.  The kids in the truck kept saying “that’s a Malad car” and Mom would yell ssshhhhh.  She didn’t want Grandpa Harrison knowing he was coming.

Vance and JoAnn made their home in Arbon, Idaho where they were blessed with five children Troy, Shawn, Larin, Heather and Jessi.  Vance enjoyed the hard work of farming and ranching. Vance and JoAnn bought their first stud in the early 80’s.  This started the beginning of Ward Quarter horses.  Though Dad was not college educated, he found great joy in studying the genetics of horses, carefully selecting and breeding them to bring out the finest qualities. Leading to many champion show horses. He would get vet supplies and could stich up an animal and not leave a scar.  He taught us how to give shots, lance a wound, draw blood and check if an animal was pregnant.

Dad started oval track racing snowmobiles in the winter of 1973. Dad would spend hours in the old cinder brick shop, lining the machines up to work on. He would take them out through the fields to test them. Then he would either come in and eat for the night or go back into shop to fine tune some more. Dad pretty much lived on his machine.  He rode it more like a bike. He always said the machines weren’t made like they are now, they were narrower and you had to work for it more back then.

When racing snowmobiles, he got tired of stressing out over the next new thing coming out. He started Ward Ski-doo so he could get the quickest information on the latest models and started selling and servicing others snowmobiles.

Grandpa Dale would beat his sled to pieces then bring it out for Vance to fix.  While he sat in the house eating custard pie. Dad would get so frustrated.

 In one of the circuit races, they iced the track before anyone had cleats and everyone wrecked. Dad crashed and took a pole out.  Then they finally salted the track.  You had to have the same machine to finish the race.  Elmer had the same machine as Dad, so they decided to take the motor out of Elmers and put it into Vance’s.

At a race in Preston it was snowing hard and no one could see.  Vance went to pass someone and went up on the rim of the track to pass then came back down onto the track.  Everyone made a big deal about it and he said “I couldn’t see, I didn’t even know I was up on the rim!”

Dad was a 4^th generation farmer, he farmed with his brother Darrel and two sons Shawn and Larin. Dad loved farming, he always talked about how he loved to plant it and watch it grow.  One of the perks of farming with family, is having a little fun.  One time while Vance was under the swather Darrel lite a fire cracker and Vance jumped and hit his head.  It was like dribbling a basketball.  He would hit his head, lower it, jump up and hit it again, then lower it, and hit again, about three times he did that.  Well to get Darrel back he climbed up on Grandpa and Grandma’s roof with a 5 gallon bucket of water, waiting for Darrell to come out, he ended up missing. 

Dad looked forward to harvest.  He loved driving the combine.  He loved having his kids, then grandkids, then great grandkids ride in the combine with him.  This is where Dad loved to give advice, here your life story and share his childhood memories with you. Some examples are Always save. It didn't matter if it was a little or a lot—always put something away. Over time, those small amounts would grow into something meaningful. Work hard and let your actions speak for you. Dad believed there was no need to boast about what you could do. If you were going to take on a job, do it with everything you had. Your work would speak louder than your words ever could. Never judge others. Dad reminded us that we rarely know the whole story. More often than not, the assumptions we make are wrong. Instead, he taught us to show compassion, extend grace, and love others as our Savior taught us to love.

Dad looked forward to hunting season.  He was able to tag out every year.  He loved being outdoors and that everyone came and went together.  He loved the challenge of a long distance shot and once shot an elk at 1,150 yards. Several years he would say he was going to wait for the big one, but then he get excited and shoot the first deer he saw. One time while hunting on the East side Dad found himself in a tough spot. His horse Uno panicked.  The two of them ended up reenacting the scene straight out of The Man From Snowy River. From then on he road his stud Chex.  Zach said he road it out great but you could tell it was an adrenaline rush for him.

As you have heard Dad was a tease, he loved scaring people.  One time he snuck up on Keagan while she was walking to the bathroom he jumped out of his bedroom with his arms wide open.  From downstairs you could hear screaming, then crying, then hysterical laughter, he had absolutely no remorse!

He enjoyed the family paintball wars. The thrill of sneaking up on someone and nailing them.

Dad loved the movies. He got in trouble a time or two for watching scary movies with grandkids and having all night movie marathons. When visiting Twin he wanted to go to a late showing of Harry Potter, since it was late they were all going to take a nap.  Unfortunately, many couldn’t sleep because Grandpa snored too loud.

Dad was always excited when a new horse showed up to add to his herd.  He always wanted to see if it would be a good kid horse… One might ask how do You test that?  Put a kid on the horse and see what happens.  I was privileged to get to ride many of the new horses that showed up. One taught me a very valuable lesson,  It took off running and ran under the new wood fence. I spun few times round the top pole. Thank goodness Dad used his saddle and not mine or I would have been crushed that day.  I was crying when he got to me, He asked are you okay.  Yes! Good! you need to get back on him and teach him its not okay to do that! That’s the day I learned, When you get bucked off or life is rough, you have to get back in the saddle and go again until you succeed.

Growing up we spent a lot of time down at the corrals. I learned a lot about life and God from my Dad while working with animals.  I remember one time a colt we were working with late at night had passed and I started crying and begged him to save it. Dad without hesitation started giving the colt mouth to mouth.  After a good amount of time he stopped and being young I was started sobbing.  He hugged me and explained sometimes it wasn’t meant to be. Then he cried a little with me and we prayed together. That night has always stuck with me, that he took the time to show me every life has meaning and that God has a hand in everything.

Our Dad loved his animals and they loved him just as much.  One time Dad was working on the old well.  The air cleaner sucked him in, pinning him against the well and he couldn’t break free. Penny his dog was getting pretty worked up and could see he was in trouble.  She eventually jumped on him shoving him off the well and Dad was convinced she saved his life that day.

 Everyone who knows me knows I never have and never will, like working with the yearlings.  There is nothing like working with 7-10 yearlings running crazy, heads up high and wild eyed. Running straight at you because they are convinced you are trying to kill them. In reality you are just moving to a different corral. Well two years ago we were trying to separate a couple out and my Dad has me on the end as I’m grumbling “I’m going to get ran over” and he reassures me I’m fine.  Sure enough one is running full bore straight for me and at the last second I jump out of the way. Dad was ticked, “why did you do that he would have stopped at the last second now we have to start all over”. Everyone was quite, but those who were there also told me they thought that colt was going to take me out. Dad later too admitted, when no one else was around, that maybe that colt wouldn’t have stop, but now we’ll never know.

His greatest joy and love in life was his family.  He left a legacy of 19 grandkids and 17 great grandkids with 2 on the way. Some of his favorite things to do with them was holding and snuggling those babies, going to movies, going out to eat, buying fireworks, hunting, paintballing, scaring them and bribing them. He would bribe or persuade his grandkids to eat odd or random food like sardines, pickled eggs ect, he would convince them to ride a calf, or to let him use his Dentist pliers to pull their teeth.

We will miss his lemon drops and butterscotch’s, his yelping when someone got a drink while he was in the shower, his black licorice, eating ice cream with him, his hey yep to call his horses, and his welcoming nature of all the extras.

Dad always taught us to give 110%. I used to argue with him that it was impossible—you can't physically give more than 100%. He would just smile and explain his reasoning. If your goal is only 100% and you fall short, you've given less than your best. But if you strive for 110% and come up short, you'll still be much closer to giving your all. It was never about the number; it was about setting a standard for yourself and always reaching a little higher.

I’ll always think of Dad whenever I hear “There is Beauty all around, when there’s love at home” This is the song he made Jessi and I sing over and over again due to our fighting.

I guess now I will have to hirer that financial advisor as I don’t have you to bounce ideas off anymore.

Rest easy and give everyone a hug. Until we meet again Love you Dad.

I’ll miss our drives to town, talking about anything and everything. You reminding me how to drive, asking me if I’m tired and then immediately falling asleep.  I’ll miss stealing your strawberry milkshake even though you offered to get me my own. I’ll miss your nightly calls “do I have anything tomorrow?” I’ll miss your morning calls “What’s your plans for today?” Thanks for being the best Husband, big brother, Dad, Grandpa, Great grandpa we could ask for. We love you Dad.