Camille G. Ward - Obituary

****** UPDATED ARRANGEMENT TIMES******* FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE INVITED TO CELEBRATE CAMILLE'S LIFE ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 23, 2022 WITH VISITATION FROM 1 PM UNTIL HER FUNERAL SERVICE BEGINS AT 3 PM AT THE KALAS FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY, 2973 SOLOMONS ISLAND RD. EDGEWATER, MD 21037. A GRAVESIDE SERVICE WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2022 AT 2:30 AT THE MARYLAND VETERANS CEMETERY, 1122 SUNRISE BEACH RD. CROWNSVILLE, MD. Camille Gloria Lombardi Ward, 92, a longtime resident of the Annapolis and Edgewater area, died on Sunday, January 2, 2022, after a long and wonderful life. She was known as “Mom Mom” to her grandchildren. She was born on November 10, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York to the late Emma Rose (Zaccagnino) Lombardi Lopardi and Garvin John Lombardi. She was a smart woman, passing her regents exams without having attended the classes. She also possessed a photographic memory, which resulted in her being offered a position with the Office of Strategic Services. She had many different jobs throughout her life but became interested in the medical profession after helping doctors returning from WWII establish offices and volunteering for the Red Cross. She became a respected physician’s assistant and later, an assistant to the Chief of Surgery at North Arundel Hospital. She was so respected by the doctors she worked for that they offered to send her to medical school. But her true passion was as a host in her house, where every visitor was welcomed with open arms. She loved music, dancing, telling stories, giving pep talks, and was famous for her cooking and baking. Everything she made people raved about and there was no such thing as too much food. She was a fighter—having survived breast cancer and being hit by an armored truck in a head-on collision. She called herself a“rebel” because from a very early age she always spoke her mind and stood up for people. She was predeceased by her loving husband of 53 years, Robert Allouysius Ward. They had grown up in the same neighborhood and had been sweethearts since she was 12 and he was 14. She is survived by her brother, Peter J. Lombardi of Williamsburg, VA, and her brother-in-law, Dominick M. Giampietro of Rockville, MD, and predeceased by her sister, Flavia L. Giampietro of Rockville, MD. She is survived by 5 daughters, Debbie Heaton (Rick) of Easton, MD, Susie Ward-Bland (Stewart) and Roberta Ward of Annapolis, Gail Ward and Camille Ward (Joel) of Edgewater, as well as 12 grandchildren, Sean McGraw, Jessica McGraw-Linder (Drew), Logan McGraw (Hank), Carly Terrier (John), James Bland (Jennifer), Robert Bland, Bo Bland (Sara), Erika Heaton (Carlo), Erin Guyette, Cara Ward, Jordan Ward, and Riley Ford, and 8 great-grandchildren, Kayla, Luc, Penelope, Hailey, Emma, James, Tripp, and Leo.