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Longtime Staten Island Community Board 1 Member Curt Ward Dies

By Nicholas Rizzi | November 14, 2013 9:05am
 Curt Ward, 56, a longtime Community Board 1 member, died in his Sunnyside home from a heart attack on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013.
Curt Ward, 56, a longtime Community Board 1 member, died in his Sunnyside home from a heart attack on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013.
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Leticia Remauro

SUNNYSIDE — Curt Ward, a longtime member of Staten Island's Community Board 1 and head of its Waterfront Committee, died from a heart attack Sunday.

Ward, 56, a Sunnyside native, was found by his son in his home on Tuesday, said Leticia Remauro, chair of Community Board 1.

"He was a consummate sailor," said Remauro. "He was full of life."

Remauro said Ward was best known for his work ethic, and strived to give people access to Staten Island's waterfront.

"He did not know how to give up," she said. "He would always look for plan B."

During his time on the board, Ward helped get money to study a Greenway trail along the waterfront, was involved with the Bayonne Bridge reconstruction project, got a park built and was helping residents of Bay Street landing get their promenade rebuilt after it was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy.

But, Remauro said, his real passion was getting waterfront access for people.

"His dream was to be able to have a continuous walkway and bikeway from the Verrazano down to the Goethals bridge as close to the water as possible," she said.

Ward was a former Sandy Hook pilot and was president of the Seaman's Institute. He was dedicated to preserving the maritime industry of New York and making sure that jobs stayed on Staten Island, Remauro said.

Aside from his work ethic, Remauro said Ward was best know for his signature Keds high-top sneakers, which he wore everywhere he went.

"I attended black ties affairs with Curt and he always wore his sneakers," she said. "That was his trademark. I don't think he owned a pair of dress shoes."

Ward was survived by his two sons, Douglas and Nicholas, two sisters and a brother.

Services will be held at the Casey Funeral Home, 350 Slosson Ave., on Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. A funeral mass will be held at the St. Theresa Church, 1634 Victory Blvd., on Friday at 1:30 p.m.