Reverend Albert Neal Ward, 79, of Leonardtown, MD died on Thursday, December 24, 2009 at the St. Mary's Nursing Center, Leonardtown, MD.

Father Ward was born on April 28, 1930 in Portland, Maine he was the son of the late Albert N. and Alice M. Ward.

He attended Sacred Heart parochial school, Washington, DC; St. John's College High School; and the Catholic University of America, and then pursued his seminary studies at St. Mary, Paca Street and
St. Mary Seminary, Roland Park. He was ordained on May 25, 1957 at St. Matthew's Cathedral. His first assignment was associate pastor was at Holy Family Parish, Hillcrest Heights, then in 1964 he was assigned to St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Silver Spring; to St. John the Baptist, silver Spring in 1966; to St. Mary Parish, Piscataway in 1970; and to St. Ann Parish, Washington, DC in 1972. In 1973 he was appointed pastor to St. Joseph Parish, Largo and then as pastor to Our Lady of the Wayside Parish, Chaptico in 1981, and as pastor to St. Joseph Parish, Morganza in 1990. Father Ward retired in 2003.

Father Ward served as chaplain and business administrator of Mother Catherine Spalding School in Helen, MD.

The Vigil will be held Monday, December 28, 2009 from 5 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Morganza, MD. The Vigil Mass will be celebrated at 7:30 p.m. in the church. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Interment will follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Silver Spring, MD.

Arrangements provided by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.