John Ward is being recognized for the Ripley County Basketball Hall of Fame's meritorious service award. 

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A book could be written about John Ward's involvement with Ripley County Basketball spanning 70 or so years. Unique to John Ward is the fact that he has impacted Ripley County Basketball by fulfilling numerous roles: as a player, a coach, an athletic director as well as a principal. To the board's knowledge, no other inductee has ever worn these four hats. Following his retirement in 1996 from Jac-Cen-Del, John continues to be a great and loyal fan to not just the Eagles, but all student athletes in our local schools. It's tough to find a guy with a bigger heart than John's for the youth of our community nor a bigger advocate for the rich heritage of Ripley County Basketball. 

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John is a 1955 Osgood High School graduate, a Ball State University graduate and served a three-year stint for the United States Navy from 1956-1958. John and his wife, Janet, of nearly 60 years before her passing in 2017, are the parents of two sons: Jack and Steve. John makes his home in Dillsboro.