It is with sad hearts that we announce the passing of Brutus Morley Ward on August 31, 2024, at 77. Brutus was born in Quincy, Illinois on February 17, 1947, to Grace Eunice Morley and Henry Brutus Ward. His family moved to Lawrence, Kansas and then to California.

In High School Brutus became interested in Theater Arts and acted in several school plays. Later he was able to fulfill a life-long dream of acting in a movie when he played two different roles in the movie “Majestic” which starred Jim Carrey.

Brutus graduated from El Cerrito High School in 1966 and then went on active duty in the Navy as a cook. He was stationed on the Destroyer “Decatur” on the East Coast and then when his ship traveled to the West Coast he had the privilege of going through the Panama Canal. Before his 2 years active duty was over, he was married to his first wife, Linda Jean Uetz, in 1968. They were blessed with seven children.

After Brutus left the Navy, he joined the Coast Guard where he decided to change his rating from cook to become a Hospital Corpsman. He finished six months training in San Diego and was stationed in Portland, Maine for a year before being transferred to Eureka, CA. After his four years in the Coast Guard were up, he joined the Navy Reserves and completed 20 years of military service.

Brutus worked in various jobs including as a teamster for almost ten years. After his divorce he moved to Idaho and married Vera Stierwalt. who passed away. He returned to Eureka where later in life he married Linda Foley and they spent many happy years together with their little dogs, Beau and Xena. He joined the Elks Lodge #652. Brutus was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He joined the American Legion and enjoyed putting out the flags in the cemeteries for Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day.

Brutus loved history and had a knack for remembering historical events. He liked to tour museums. He and his son Ben had fun watching the TV show Jeopardy together and competing to see who knew the most.

Brutus loved to cook and passed on that love to his son Ben. His son Benjamin passed away on August 19th and it was after Ben’s funeral on the 31st that Brutus died from a heart attack while returning home.

Brutus was buried at the Eagle Point National Cemetery in Oregon with full military honors. He is survived by his wife Linda Foley Ward, his sister Lulu Zeits; his children Dorothy, Dan and his wife Lisa, Beth and her husband Mike, Jenni and her husband Wayman, Matt and his wife Melanie, Rachel and her husband Pete; his step-children Jeramee and Nathan Foley, Billie Smith and Fritz Peterson; his grandchildren, Chase, Jasper, Trevor, Oscar, Israel, Isley, Connor, Teddy, Elijah, Terrance, Daedrick, Homer, Glen, Teardra, Taylor, Bella, Isaylia, Isareina, Seraphina, Nicole, Brittany, Tiffany (Blu), Tessa, Jordynn, Michaela, Madelyn, Cameryn, Ava (Sage), Kirra, Tia, Hailee; and his great-grandchildren Sofia, Gianna, Garrett, Grayson, Isaac, Jordan, Sebastian, Bryson, Amelia, Ezekiel, Hezekiah, Pualena, True, Dove, Jaylani, Iris and Ethan.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, September 21 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 2806 Dolbeer St., Eureka, CA at 11 a.m. with a luncheon to follow. All of Brutus’ family and friends are invited to come and share their memories of Brutus.

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