In this day and age, most people move away from their hometown at some point in their lives-even if they eventually wind up right back where they started. This isn’t the case when it comes to Dolly Ward.

Ward was born and raised right here in Demopolis. She married a man from Demopolis, and she raised her four children in Demopolis. One would have to search long and hard for a more devoted resident.

She was born on March 5, 1933, and graduated from Demopolis High School in 1951.

Ward spent a good portion of her life working as the Demopolis City Clerk. Working close with the mayor for 24 years, Ward proudly said, “I did almost everything.” She retired in 1996.

She met her former husband of 33 years, Bo Ward, at a dance, and married when she was 18. The Ward family name is well known in town. Mr. Ward runs Ward Appliances, and two of her sons can be found at the family business as well.

Her other two children left Demopolis. Her daughter lives in Greenville, working for the state, and her youngest son is a nurse in Montgomery. Ward has six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

In her lifetime, Ward said the most memorable event that occurred was last year’s weather disaster, Hurricane Ivan. “It uprooted all my trees,” she said.

While Ward hasn’t ever moved away from Demopolis, she doesn’t have any regrets. “I’m just proud to be here,” she said, “I learned so much and enjoyed most of it.”