Arnold Leon “Lee” Ward, of Rineyville, Kentucky, passed away peacefully at home on

November 12, 2025 at the age of 87. He was the beloved husband of Elaine Todd for 44

years and a devoted father to his children, Sonya Hall (Mike), Laura Farmer (Tommy).

Born on July 6th, 1938, in Louisville, Kentucky, to Ernest Ward and Bessie Phelps Ward.

He built a successful career as a Career Counselor in the US Army. He was known for

his attention to routine and detail, his kindness, humor, and his love of cooking. Lee had

a passion for serving others and loved being with people. He was a member of Ridge

Springs United Methodist Church, an Honorable Kentucky Colonel, and a longtime

volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. He was incredibly generous with his family and

friends. Perhaps he was best known by his grandchildren and the children at church for

his famous high fives in return for a dollar, which he happily shared every time he saw

one of them. This habit earned him the title of “Papaw Dollar”. In his retirement years he

enjoyed being the local volunteer mailman for his friends at Southern Pines in

Frostproof Florida, as he biked many miles a day around the community.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Bessie Ward; siblings, Hank, Cecil,

Chester, Hazel, Evelyn, and Dorothy; his loving wife, Elaine Ward and infant son Daniel.

He is survived by his sister Joyce James of Gordonville, Texas, his daughters, Sonya

Hall of Cincinnati Ohio, and Laura Farmer of Elizabethtown Kentucky, and his

grandchildren Heather, Cody, Julia, Matthew, Angela and Dustin, as well as 15 great-

grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at Nelson-Edelen-Bennett Funeral Home, 2072 South Dixie

Blvd. Radcliff, KY on Wednesday, November 19th at 11:00am. Visitation will be from

5:00-8:00pm on Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:00am. In lieu of flowers, the family

requests that donations be made to Hosparus. Interment will be at North Hardin Memorial Gardens with military honors.