Audrey Mae Ward

Audrey Mae (Sampen) Ward, 88, of Carmel, Indiana passed away on Tuesday January 6, 2026 at Independence Village in Carmel, Indiana. She was born on March 16, 1937 to Albert and Flossie (McWorter) Sampen in Emden, Illinois.

Audrey graduated from Harsburg-Emden High School in 1955 as Salutatorian of the class. She participated in the Girls Athletic Association, band, and chorus. She was a typist for the school newspaper and member of the yearbook staff her senior year.

Upon graduation from high school, Audrey received the state scholarship given by Illinois State Normal University. At university she participated in intramural sports, chorus, and choir. She was a member of the Elementary Education Club. Audrey graduated with a BS degree in education in June 1959.

Audrey married Jerry L. Ward on August 16, 1959 in Emden, Illinois. Audrey taught third grade in Pekin, Illinois the following fall. After a year of teaching they started their family of three beautiful daughters, Karen, Linda, and Michelle. They moved to Bartlett, Illinois and then Arlington Heights, Illinois with Jerry's job. Audrey concentrated on being a wife and mother. Then they moved to Fremont, Michigan where Jerry took a job with Gerber Products Company in 1969. In Fremont she was a very involved mother, corporate wife, substitute teacher, room mother, Sunday school teacher at Fremont United Methodist Church, choir mother and more.

Audrey enjoyed lots of traveling with Jerry, visiting their children and grandchildren, visiting all 50 states, several Caribbean Islands, the Hawaiian Islands, Panama Canal, Australia, New Zealand, a river cruise through Germany, Hungary, Austria, and the Netherlands plus much more. They also were avid boaters and took their boat on the Great Lakes, Welland Canal, Erie Canal, and the Atlantic Ocean. Audrey and Jerry also enjoyed wintering in Key Largo, Florida and also visiting friends and relatives that wintered in Florida.

Audrey is survived by her three daughters, Karen Jo (Robert) Roelofs, Linda Marie (Mark) Seitz, and Michelle Lee (Arthur) Schlaud; grandchildren, Justin (Abbey) Roelofs, Allyson (Drew) Silverthorn, Zachary (Gretchen) Roelofs, Stacey (Matt) Draper, Eric (Sarah) Seitz, Nathan Schlaud, Amy (Taylor) Walsh, and Jason (Lexie) Schlaud; great-grandchildren, Claire, Emma, and Anna Seitz, Elijah Draper, Everly Silverthorn, Olive Roelofs, and Lucas Schlaud; many wonderful nieces and nephews; and in-laws, Darla Sampe and Jessie Lunini.

In addition to her parents, Audrey was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Jerry; brothers, Gerald Sampen and Kenneth Sampen; sisters-in-law, Jeanne Ward, Jeanne Sampen, and Jacqueline Walker; brothers-in-law, James Ward, John Lunini, and Joe Walker; and her in-laws, James and Eva Ward.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday February 7, 2026 at Randall & Roberts Funeral Center, 1685 Westfield Road in Noblesville, Indiana.

Memorial contributions may be made to Fremont United Methodist Church, 351 Butterfield Street, Fremont, MI 49412, www.fremont-umc.org

Condolences: www.randallroberts.com