Obituary of Hamilton Ward, Jr. Esq.

WARD- Hamilton IV (Jr.), Esq.

March 20, 1931 to December 25, 2018. Son of Hamilton Ward III, the former Presiding Justice of the Supreme Court, 8th Judicial District, also grandson to Hamilton Ward, Jr., who served as the New York State Attorney General from 1929-1931. His loving wife, Anna R. Ward, predeceased him on March 5, 2016. Survived by his son Hamilton Ward, V of Las Vegas, NV, daughter Susan E. Ward-Freeman and her husband Micky Freeman of Houston, TX, and brother Charles M. Ward of Olean, NY; predeceased by brothers Marsh Ward of Duluth, MN and Wallace Ward of Las Vegas, NV.

Mr. Ward graduated from Nichols School in 1949, Hobart College in 1953 with a bachelor’s degree, and combined U.B. Law School with a Clerkship in the office of Ward, Gorman and Marx. He was admitted to the New York State Bar Association on June 8, 1960. He worked with the private practice Ward, Gorman and Mark until January 1963, when he was appointed as an Assistant Attorney General to the New York State Department of Law by Attorney General Lewis J. Lefkowitz. Mr. Ward acted as a trial lawyer with the Department of Claims and Litigation where he tried and settled many claims for the State of New York both in the Buffalo Court of Claims as well as the Rochester District.

He continued state employment with the New York Court of Claims, having been appointed by Judge John H. Cooke, presiding Judge of the New York State Court of Claims as his Law Clerk in determination and preparation of many court decisions. Upon the retirement of Judge Cooke, Mr. Ward was asked to become the Law Clerk to the newly appointed Judge Thomas P. McMahon and acted as his confidential Law Clerk in which capacity he served until Mr. Ward retired in 1983, having served in the New York State Court System as well as the Department of Law for 20 years.

He resumed private practice in Arcade, NY with his partner, Robert H. Kutzuba, their practice consisting primarily in the field of real estate and estate matters, during which time Mr. Ward received a plaque for his 50 years of membership with the Bar Association of Erie County.

Throughout most of his life, Mr. Ward was an active athlete, have completed in 26 marathons, including four of the Boston Marathons and many tri-athlons throughout the eastern part of the States. He continued to enjoy cycling and skiing in later years, even after hip replacements restricted running events. In addition, he was an avid hunter and fisherman.

Mr. Ward prided himself in having been able to compete early on with both his son and daughter in various running and cycling events, although not always able to finish ahead of them. He and his wife Anna, enjoyed traveling throughout the country and the world, including a trip to Germany to visit her remaining family members in 1990. His favorite phrase was “It’s not so much the number of years in your life, but the life in those years that count.”

The family will be present to receive friends Sunday, December 30th from 11 AM to 1:30 PM at BEACH-TUYN FUNERAL HOME., 5541 Main Street (at Cayuga Rd) Williamsville.