Mr. Edward Ralph Bard, age 94, of West Jefferson, NC, passed away on March 31, 2016 at his home. Funeral services will be held on April 2, 2016 at Boone Family Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Mark Harless and the Rev. Ed Hall officiating. Burial will be in the Riverview Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery with military rites. The family will receive friends at 1:00pm Saturday, April 2, 2016. Mr. Bard was born November 16, 1921 in Ashe County to the late Ed and Brucie Little Bard. He severed in the United States Marines Sixth Division, during World War II. He received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds received in action against the enemy on May 20, 1945, on Okinawa. Mr. Bard had to wait for his medal until he was 91 years old. Mr. Bard was a member of Bethel Baptist Church where he severed as Adult Sunday School teacher for many years and was an active deacon of the church. He was preceded in death by his wife of 71 years, Opal Jarvis Bard; a brother, Herbert Bard of Jefferson, NC and a sister; Eva Bard Deal of Rhonda, NC. Mr. Bard is survived by two daughters; Evelyn Bard Reeves and husband Tom of Crumpler, NC; Janet Bard Hicks and husband David of Lexington, NC; a son, Edward Ralph Bard, Jr., of West Jefferson, NC, and two loving caretakers- Jeannie Berry and Judy Fedor. Before retiring in his eighties, Mr. Bard worked for Westinghouse in Winston-Salem, NC; for Douglas Air Craft in Charlotte, NC; Sandvik Tools in New Jersey and C & C Tools in Danville, Virginia. Mr. Bard was a sales representative in each of these employments. Two grandchildren, Michael Brown of Trinity, NC and Dr. Julie Reeves/Goyette of Ohio. Four great-grandchildren, Justin Brown, Jason Brown, both of Lexington, NC. Alessandra Goyette and Isabella Goyette, both of Ohio. Three great, great grandchildren, Aidyn Brown, Jaxton and Alexis Brown all from Lexington, NC. Two nephews, Thomas Deal of Rhonda, NC, Gwyn Bard of Jefferson, NC, and one niece Betsy Bard Lawson, of Cornelius, NC; a sister-in-law, Carol Winebarger, of West Jefferson; a brother-in-law, Ken Jarvis, of Tobaccoville, NC. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Riverview Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, C/O John Paul Miller, 1897 Conley Cheek Road, Fleetwood, NC 28626 or to Medi Home Hospice, PO Box 421, Jefferson, NC 28640. The family will be meeting at the home of Mr. Bard on Lower Nettle Knob Road, in West Jefferson, NC.