Matthew P. Ward

SCARBOROUGH – Matthew P. Ward passed away suddenly at Maine Medical Center in Portland on June 7, 2024 as a result of an acute form of leukemia.

Matt was born in Pittsburgh, Pa. on April 14, 1944 to Matthew P. and Grace Mary Neiderer Ward. He attended Monongahela Valley Catholic High School in Charleroi, Pa. and graduated from Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign Service in 1966.

Upon graduation he was accepted into the United States Foreign Service and served for the next 35 years as a career Foreign Service Officer. Matt served in Consular, Political and Economic posts throughout the world. His tours of duty were primarily in East Asia although he also served in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

After “retiring” to Scarborough, Matt accepted the position as Executive Director of Refugee Resettlement for Catholic Charities of Maine. During his years in Maine, he regularly shared his knowledge of world affairs with students at the University of Southern Maine, with participants in the Great Issues program, with members of the World Affairs Council and with his numerous consulting clients.

Matt was an intellectual powerhouse, fluent in six languages, but he never stopped being the happy kid who grew up in a Western Pennsylvania mining town. He could converse or laugh with anyone – (literally) anywhere in the world.

Matt is survived by his loving wife and Foreign Service colleague, Emily (Gilhooley) Ward; his brothers Thomas M. Ward (Carol Ann Ward), Joseph T. Ward (Candy Lee), James E. Ward, and his sister, Sara Jane Tufo (Joseph A. Tufo). He is fondly remembered as “Uncle Matt” by his many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. He leaves behind dear cousins who were also close childhood friends. To quote one of his nephews, “Uncle Matt was simply a cool dude.”

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on July 1, at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, 150 Black Point Rd., Scarborough. To view Matt’s memorial page and full obituary, please visit http://www.ConroyTullyWalker.com

In lieu of flowers please consider a gift to the

Senior Living Foundation of American Foreign Service,

1620 L Street, NW,

Ste. 800,

Washington, DC 20036-5629;

or Catholic Charities of Maine Refugee and Immigration Services, Memo:

Refugee and Immigration Services,

P.O. Box 10660,

Portland, ME 04104-6060