Diann Saldukas Ward

Diann (Frau) Saldukas Ward departed her earthly body on Saturday, June 7, 2014. Her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ decided to call her soul home to Heaven to inherit his Biblical Promise to Eternal Life.Diann was a devout Christian.She went to Catholic Elementary and middle school and graduated from Bishop Haffey High School, in Hazelton, PA.She was a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church in Florence, from 1971 till her passing. Diann was the second of five siblings born to Iris and Joe Saldukas of Hazleton, PA.While still in high school, she began working to save money for college.She worked as a sales clerk and as a waitress in stores and restaurants around town during the summer months. Upon graduation from high school, she wanted to attend Penn St. University.On her on, she obtained a loan from a local bank, and with the money she had saved, entered her freshman year at State college Campus. Diann had no car, so she had to rely on friends for rides back and forth to college. Between years at college, she continued to work at the upscale restaurant in Hazleton as a waitress.With this money and more bank loans, she would return to school for another year. She made the decision to major in German and during her junior year was accepted to participate in an exchange program with Cologne University in Germany.Diann was one of ten students selected from a German class of over 200 to participate in this program. This exchange experience was a highlight of her life.Diann loved everything German:The language, the customs, and the pure beauty of the country; all were a thing of beauty to her.When she returned to complete her degree, she spoke fluent German.Diann graduated Penn. Penn St. University with a B. A. in German and a near 4 point average. In August of 1977, unable to find a permanent teaching position around Hazelton, she decided to join the Air Force as an officer.After submitting her application, she was selected for Officer Training School with a projected entry date in early 1978.However, by that time she had fallen in love with her Air Force Recruiter, Jim Ward.She turned down the Air Force appointment and married her Jim on November 19th, 1978. In June of 1979, she moved south and accepted a teaching position at West Florence High School as a German and English teacher in 1980.Frau Ward (as she became known to her students) had a very successful career as a teacher.She was selected as Teacher of the Month nine times by her students; she was a Time Warner Star Teacher of the Year on three occasions.She also started a German Club which was very poplar and became an after school fixture throughout her tenure at the school.Diann earned a B.A. degree in English after attending evening classes at Francis Marion University; and in 1992, she completed further studies, earning a Master’s In Education at FMU. Diann was also very active in her church at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.She served as a Eucharistic Minister, Usher and Sacristan for 8 years.At the request of her Priest, Monsignor Duffy, she started a Youth Ministry (CYO) which grew to more than 40 teens.Diann ran this ministry for five years.She was also elected to be a member of the Church Council, serving for four years as a member and one year as its President. In 1995, with the encouragement of her Priest and Deacon Jack O’Donnell, she helped to establish a Perpetual Adoration Chapel at the Church.The Chapel continues to be very active to this date.She was a member of the Women’s Club and the Stephen Ministry program.Diann also worked in the Church Food Bank for several years. When Pope John Paul II came to South Carolina, Diann took her church youth group to Columbia and participated in a special Mass held on the USC campus. Finally, in 2010, Diann retired from teaching and devoted most of her spare time to the Church.She and her husband Jim began to enjoy retirement together and loved travelling and short vacations to the beach. She was preceded in death by her Mother, Iris Doyle Saldukas. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her father, Joseph Saldukas, Sr., sister, Denise Corcoran, brothers Greg, Joe and Scott, and her step-son, Michael Ward.She had two Godchildren, Caitlyn Adams and Diamond Thomas. Visitation will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10, 2014, at Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home with a Christian Wake Service beginning at 7:00 p.m. through 8:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church on Hoffmeyer Road at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 11, 2014.A reception/lunch will be held in The Family Center at St. Anthony’s following the service.Her final resting place will be at the Ward Family plot in Bentonia, Mississippi, at a later date. Instead of flowers, please send a donation, in her name to:Florence Area Humane Society, P. O. Box 4808, Florence, SC 29502. Please sign the tribute wall for Mrs.Ward at the obit section of www.stoudenmiredowling.com.