Dianne Memorie Ward, 85, of Crisfield, died Friday, April 8, 2022 at TidalHealth McCready.

Born in Baltimore on June 18, 1936, she was a daughter of the late James C. Benton and Julia White Rinn.  She was preceded in death by her first husband, Joseph C. Bednar, Sr. and her second husband, Thomas E. "Ted" Ward.

She was a graduate of Clifton Park High School in Baltimore and attended nursing school in Cambridge.  She was a licensed senior cosmetologist and owner/operator of the former "The Towne Clipper" salon in Crisfield and prior worked at Andres Salon in Baltimore where some of her clientele were wives and girlfriends of Baltimore Orioles and Colts players and Playboy Bunnies.  In her younger years she was a switchboard operator for C&P Telephone Company in Baltimore.

Dianne's memberships include Immanuel United Methodist church where she sang in the choir, Salisbury University Choir, Daughters of the American Revolution, and the National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century.

She had a great love for growing daffodils and entering them into flower shows all over the state of Maryland which led her to join numerous garden clubs in the area.  She was a member of the Somerset County Garden Club where she helped host the annual Daffodil Days flower shows, the Four Seasons Garden Club of Salisbury, and The Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland, Inc.  She was a Master Daffodil Flower Show Judge for flower shows throughout the State.  She enjoyed writing poetry, painting, fashion modeling in the early 1970's, and traveling, especially going on cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean and Hawaii.  Also In the early 70's, having never acted before, she auditioned for and earned a small part as a Nun in The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat which was performed by Baltimore's Center Stage.  Hollywood actor Hurd Hatfield played the lead role of Jean-Paul Marat.

She is survived by two sons, Joseph Clayton Bednar, Jr. of Crisfield and Michael Lee Bednar and wife Angie of Laurel, DE; grandchildren, Dominic Jermaine Bednar, Joseph Clayton Bednar, III, Travis Dwayne Bednar, Michael Joseph Bednar and his son, Julian Bednar, Ashley Bednar, Tabitha Bednar, Nathan Bednar, and Daniel Bednar; daughter-in-law, Carol V. Sanders Griffin; sister-in-law, nieces and nephew, Carol Benton Elfstrum, Donna Benton LeBlanc, Joanne Benton Riemer, and James J. Benton; cousin, William "Bill" Staples; special friends, Jackie and Nancy McCready; and her beloved rescue cat, "Amber".

In addition to her parents and husbands, she was preceded in death by a brother, James Benton; and a sister, Lorraine Greenberg.

Funeral services will be Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 2 PM at Immanuel United Methodist Church where a viewing will be one hour prior.  Rev. Jim Riley will officiate.  Interment will follow in Sunnyridge Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Lower Somerset County Ambulance and Rescue Squad, LSCARS, P.O. Box 406, Crisfield, MD 21817.

To send condolences, please visit www.bradshawandsonsfuneralhome.com