The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. Psalm 23:1. With God as her Shepherd, our darling Elena slipped away to be with our Creator who welcomed her from living this life, so she could live again.
Elena's sunrise was February 25, 1956, when she was born to Grady Morris and Maggie Capehart Morris. She lived a simple life. She accepted Christ at an early age at the Union Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Cottonwood, Alabama. In her life was many family members and friends.
She was joined in Holy Matrimony to Brother Billy Ray Ward on April 9, 1977, to this union two children were born, Felicia and Andrea.
She lived a simple life as she worked at home and at church. She was humble, loving, and kind. She was the Children's Church Teacher at Union Hill Missionary Baptist Church. She believed in giving snacks, not only to the children, but the Seniors and others until it was all gone.
Then came a leak in her building and she was no longer able to do what she loved. She said on many occasions that "when I can't come to church it seems like the whole week goes bad."
Her sunset came on Monday night, October 19, 2015. Many people will miss her, but those who will miss her the most are her husband, Brother Billy Ray Ward; her daughters: Felicia Tywain Thomas (Michael) of Dothan, AL, Andrea Nicole Ward of Montgomery, AL and Stacey Franks of Snellville, GA; six grandchildren: Zhane' Monique, Jordan Marlena and William Michael Thomas all of Dothan, Deja, Marcus, and Malcolm Franks of Snellville, GA; her mother, Mrs. Maggie Capehart of Cottonwood, AL; a brother: Minister James E. Morris of Jonesboro, GA; three sisters: Minister Barnita Merritt (Samuel) of Dothan, AL, Mary Cody (Nathaniel) of Cottonwood, AL and Carolyn Daniels (Jirah) of Campbellton, FL; four cousins and one nephew raised as brothers: Minister Joseph Cody (Vanessa) of Cottonwood, AL, Aaron Sanders of Ohio, Larry Sanders (Michelle) of New Jersey, Michael (Kisha) Capehart of Cottonwood, AL, Eric (Fabreka) Morris of Cottonwood, AL; three aunts: Annie Mae Ward of Newark, NJ, Jewel Chapman (John) of Dothan, AL and Helen Moore of Cottonwood, AL; one uncle: Walter Holland of Cottonwood, AL; a host of nieces, nephews and cousins; extended family: Shirley, Don and Teresa Shirah and others. special friends include: Evan and Virginia Phillips of Midway, GA, and Romel Cody of Cottonwood, AL, Shirley Ash and Betsy Williams.