SPECIAL REPORT: 95-year-old great grandmother goes back to school to earn high school diploma

BIG SPRING, Texas (KOSA) - Students across West Texas are graduating this month, including one woman who got her degree about 75 years later than expected.

Big Spring resident Margie Ward is 95 years old.

“I don’t feel 95,” she said.

When asked what she does feel?

“Not that old.”

A few weeks ago, this great grandmother earned her GED through Howard College; the equivalent of the high school diploma that she never got.

“It was awesome,” Ward said. “It was really nice. We really had a party.”

It was a party eight decades in the making.

She doesn’t exactly remember, but Ward said she quit school somewhere between 5th and 7th grade. She waited tables and worked as a carhop. Eventually, she settled in Big Spring and married Bill Ward.

For nearly 70 years, together they ran Ward’s Western Wear store.

“I grew up in Big Spring and I can remember as a child going to Ward’s Boot and Saddle,” Howard College President Dr. Cheryl Sparks said. “She was very business-like. I was scared of her, because she meant business. Not that I was planning on acting up, but I knew that I better not.

With the store handed down to her family and nearing 100 years of age at a retirement home, Ward decided it was finally time to finish school.

“Her dream had been to get her high school education,” Howard College teacher Debbie Van Pelt said.

Every morning one of the nurses from Park Place Retirement Living would drive Ward to campus. Sometimes she would be awake and ready to go at 4 a.m.

“I had to start setting an alarm to make sure I got there first,” Van Pelt said. “She was in class at 7:40 every morning. Class doesn’t actually start until 8 o’clock, but she was afraid she was going to be late.”

“I was surprised at her age,” classmate Brenda Contreras said. “I was like what is she doing here? But if she can do it, I can do it.”

“She’s a character, she brings joy,” another classmate, Ticorian Morin, said. “Knowing that she can do it gave me more motivation that I’d be able to get this done.”

Ward said that her favorite subject from her classes was math, and that she “really excelled” at math.

Adult Education and Literacy programs like the one Ward and her classmates took can be found across the nation, and at multiple schools here in the Permian Basin.

“It’s actually a federal grant,” Howard College AEL Director Tammy Alexander said. “And Howard College, Midland College and Odessa College all have the AEL grant.”

“Literally we’ve taught some adults how to write their names,” Dr Sparks said. “How to read for the first time. Maybe to speak English. And then those that get their GED.”

“I was an adult, single mother when I went back to school and finished,” Alexander said. “So I can see it takes a little more when you’re in those positions and you have to work for it, but it is possible.”

While Ward’s classmates will start careers or go to college, she isn’t sure what her next step is. But maybe her work is already done.

“I’ve got three students right now that are in line for completing their GED because of her persistence,” Van Pelt said.”

“Margie makes it very clear: There is no usual time of life,” Dr. Sparks said. “Whenever you want to do it, get it done.”

“Miss Margie is an awesome person,” Contreras said. “She inspired a lot of people. And I want to do the same.”

“Always go back to school,” Ward said. “I don’t think you can learn enough.”

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