In Memory

Larry Ward

 

Ron Hayes was kind enough to pass along the news of Larry Ward’s death.  “Lawrence A. (Larry) Ward passed away on October 15, 2007 in Stockton, California.  Larry had been in poor health after experiencing a serious fall several years ago.  He was confined to a wheelchair.  Larry was born on October 2, 1944. He attended Piedmont High School and graduated in 1962. He went to attend UC Berkeley and studied linguistics.  He served in the U.S. Navy and saw combat off the coast of Vietnam.  Larry was a scholar of numerous languages and a fluent speaker of Spanish, Russian, Arabic, the languages of Native American peoples and the Indian Subcontinent.

 

            “He was also an accomplished voice actor.  He was the voice of “Griedo” in the bar scene of the first ‘Star Wars’ movie and ‘Jabba the Hut’ in the second installment of the famous series.  As an example of his inventiveness, he used the Andean language of Quechua for the Griedo Character.

 

            “Larry had many problems, but also had a keen intellect and incredible sense of humor.  He made friends easily and always was eager to befriend people of diverse backgrounds, often speaking to them in their native language.  Larry Ward was a remarkable person, who possessed a deep faith. He will be remembered fondly by many whose lives he touched.  He is survived by his sister, Ellen Ward (PHS Class of 64), who lives near Kansas City, Missouri. She was at his side at the end of his life.”