Harold Ward Fountain

SUN CIY - Harold Ward Fountain, Doctor of Dental Surgery, passed away on Feb. 7, 2017. Ward, as he was called by family and friends, was born on Aug. 17, 1921 in Remus, Mich. He attended Central Michigan University before graduating from the University of Michigan Dental School in 1945; a course of study that he completed in six years under a wartime accelerated schedule of year around classes with no breaks. In Apr., 1943 he married Glenna Aileen Cameron, the love of his life. After graduation he immediately entered into the U.S. Navy. He practiced dentistry and took postgraduate courses at several stateside Naval Hospitals (Ithaca, N.Y. and Philadelphia, Pa.) until discharge in 1946. He and his young family (a son, James, was born in Ithaca, N.Y.) came to Kalamazoo, Mich. where he established a private dental practice; a pursuit that he continued until his retirement in 1983. A daughter (Julie) was born shortly after coming to Kalamazoo, Mich. and another son (Jeffrey), seven years later. At the start of the Korean Conflict, Ward was redrafted by the U.S. Navy, lent to the Army, and with his family send to Occupied Germany for two years. He provided dental care for U.S. soldiers and their dependents and supervised German civilian dentists practicing in his clinic. In their vacation time, the Fountains toured postwar Germany and Europe. This unique time was always characterized by Ward as an unforgettable experience. Over the years, Ward built a large, successful, and prestigious dental practice in Kalamazoo. He received the Edgar A. Honey Award by the Kalamazoo Valley Dental Society in 1970 in recognition of his ideals, professional standards, and educational motivation that characterized his professional career. He uniquely combined a love for politics (he was the President of the Michigan Dental Association in 1974-1975) with a passion for pushing the frontiers of dental science. He published several papers on temporomandibular joint function and periodontal disease and in 1981-1982 was honored with the Presidency of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry; a position commonly held by academics and rarely by the dentists in private practice. In 1982 he received the Meritorious Award presented by the Michigan Dental Association for "outstanding contributions to the Profession of Dentistry". Ward was also continuously active in his church and community. He was a lifelong Rotarian and was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. Ward loved his family and friends. He loved projects around his home and office (frequently involving his sons) and loved to dance to the Big Band sounds of his youth. He and Glenna had a fondness for travel and, both before and after retirement; they traveled the country and the world, savoring new places, people, cultures, and cuisine. After retirement in 1983, Ward and Glenna moved to Sun City. Ward took up tennis and displayed the same enthusiasm and intensity that he showed with all other aspects of his life. He eventually won several club championships and avidly played and followed the game. In 2005 Ward and Glenna moved into the Royal Oaks Life Care Community in Sun City where Glenna continues to reside. Ward is survived by his wife Glenna Fountain, his sons, James of Naples, Fla. and Jeffrey of Columbus, Ohio; his daughter, Julie Betty of Missoula, Mont.; and seven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. He will be remembered and missed by his family, friends and colleagues after a long, productive and fulfilling life. A memorial service will be held a Royal Oaks in the near future. Memorial contributions may be made to Lakewood United Methodist Church, Sun City.