Michael J. (Mike) Ward-Willis of Southbury, CT died October 19, 2011. He was born in Leicester, England 23 March 1928, spent his teenage years in war torn England and graduated from Leicester University School of Architecture in 1949. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the Royal Corp of Engineers as a professional architect in coastal defense and construction of military bases.

After four years in Africa's Gold Coast designing buildings for the preparation of the Independence of the State of Ghana, he spent three years in England working on office buildings in London and then a major hospital in Trinidad, following his marriage in 1958 to his wife Barbara Anne. (nee Booth)

They moved to Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. to a house overlooking the Hudson River and had 5 children, four sons and a daughter. He worked with the New York City architectural firm of Warner, Burns, Toan and Lunde as a senior associate until his retirement in 2002. He was involved in the design and construction of a major computer science center in N.Y.C. for New York University, office, municipal and college buildings and luxury hotels in the U.S., San Juan, P.R., Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Riyadh and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Lagos, Nigeria.

He was active in local village affairs, having served on the Architectural Review Board for 22 years and as its Chairman for 5 years. He and his wife loved the outdoors, gardening and did extensive walking along the Croton Aqueduct, Rockefeller State Park and hiking with their sons on Breakneck Ridge. They traveled extensively to Europe, Egypt and New Zealand, where they spent many winters on the South Island.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Barbara, sons, John and his wife Pam, Paul and his wife Elizabeth, Mark and his wife Carrie, Nicholas and his wife Susan and daughter Jennifer and her son Dylan who live in Brighton, England. His other six grandchildren, Brianna, Caryn, Ashley, Trevor, Christopher and Lauren live in New York State and Connecticut. He was predeceased by an infant daughter, Susan Carol Ward-Willis.

Cemetery: St. Peter's Cemetery-Danbury

Location: Munson-Lovetere Southbury

Services: A private graveside service will be held held Saturday, October 22nd in St. Peter's Cemetery, Danbury, CT

Visitation: There are no calling hours.