Longtime Houston news anchor Dave Ward in the Houston Matters studio in 2019.
Dave Ward, a longtime former television news anchor for ABC13, died over the weekend, the Houston station announced. His funeral services are planned for later this week.
Ward reportedly died of pneumonia-related complications, according to the Houston Chronicle. He was 86.
Born in 1938, Ward first worked in Houston as a news reporter and news director at KNUZ Radio. In 1966, he joined ABC13 as an on-the-street reporter. Two years later, he became a primetime anchor at the station.
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Ward covered major events in Houston and Texas for more than 50 years, which got him into the Guinness Book of World Records in 2016 for being the longest-running anchor at the same station in the same market. He interviewed five U.S. presidents, including a one-on-one with President Barack Obama. He signed off from KTRK-TV in 2017.
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He was also an active community advocate, particularly with Crime Stoppers of Houston and with Houston Children’s Charity, where his wife, Laura, is president and CEO.
Funeral plans
Here are the funeral plans for Dave Ward, according to ABC13:
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17: Ward will lie in repose at the Crime Stoppers of Houston Dave Ward Building, 3001 Main St.
11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18: Public visitation for Ward open to all at Geo. H. Lewis & Sons Funeral Directors, 1010 Bering Dr.
noon Friday, Dec. 19: Funeral service for Ward open to the public at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Rd.
Public support
Several Houston organizations and journalists have shared their condolences and tributes to Ward.
“What Dave and I did is we relied on each other so much because we were on the air for so many events where we were on all night long,” Shara Fryer, who anchored with Ward for 16 years, said Monday on Hello Houston. “It’s more than friendship, it’s more than colleague; he was my brother, in so many ways. I learned so much from him. But it was that reliance, knowing I could count on him. When we were on the air, and things were going crazy, I could count on Dave always, and he could count on me.”
In a post on Facebook, ABC13 sports anchor Greg Bailey said the Houston Texans had placed flowers and a photo of Ward in the press box during Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals
Houston Children’s Charity shared a tribute on Facebook, writing, “Dave’s impact on our organization has been PROFOUND—serving on our Advisory Board, lending his trusted voice to our mission, and championing the children we serve with compassion and dedication. His support strengthened our work and uplifted countless families across Houston.”