Students, faculty and staff will remember the life of formerWomen’s Symposium Coordinator Gail Ward at a memorial serviceat 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Perkins Chapel.

“She was able to work straight through; a lot of peoplethought that she wasn’t ill at all,” RebeccaBergstresser, the interim coordinator for the symposium said.”She was very strong and determined in what she wanted to doand she did it her way.”

Ward, who headed the symposium since 1999, died of breast cancerat her home in Flower Mound on Nov. 23. She was 53 years old.

Bergstresser said that Ward increased the community’sinterest in the symposium by bringing in a wide range of speakers,from Wilma Mankiller, the former principle chief of the CherokeeNation to Cheryl Mills, the vice president of the Oxygen televisionnetwork.

Although Ward underwent cancer treatment for the past two years,she wouldn’t let her illness get in the way of mentoringstudents who helped design the symposium or doing her job.

“She came to the symposium in the midst of chemotherapypretty much bald, and what was great about that was there wasnothing ideological or political about that. The wig wasuncomfortable, and she was going to come to the symposium asherself,” said Jenny Weil, the former coordinator forwomen’s programs at the Women’s Center. “Sheconducted herself with grace, strength and humor. I don’tknow many people who can pull that off.”

Begstresser will also remember Ward, not only for her strength,but for her sense of humor.

“You can’t talk about Gail without talking aboutlaughter,” Bergstresser said.

She recalled an incident in which squirrels had invaded theWomen’s Center, and Gail sent the staff messages from all thesquirrels.

Being in Ward’s old office and looking out the same windowfrom which Ward enjoyed watching the squirrels, Bergstresser ispreparing for this year’s symposium and said that Ward leftmarkers everywhere for the staff.

“Her planning and foresight for the symposium wereextraordinary. It’s our goal to make sure it happens the wayshe wanted it,” Bergstresser said.

Ward held a Ph.D. in education administration from theUniversity of New Mexico, where she was also the director forStudent Programs and Diversity in Engineering before coming toSMU.

Memorial contributions may be made to the SMU Women’sSymposium and the American Cancer Society.