Irma Hermann was born Jan. 20, 1911 in Los Angeles, CA. She was the daughter of Hugo and Bertha Hermann, German immigrants. She had two younger brothers, Heinz born in 1916 and Hugo born in 1925. The family left Los Angeles and went to live in Antelope Valley, in the Mojave desert. While a child, Irma and her brother Heinz suffered from the Black Measles but they recovered from it. Irma attended a school in Mojave during the week, boarding with a nearby family, and stayed with her family on weekends. When she was eight years old, Irma took a short-cut to school. Suddenly she was standing there in a farm field, wearing a little red dress, being chased by an angry bull. A nearby farmer jumped the fence on horseback and swept up the little girl, taking her out of harm's way. Eventually Irma moved back to Los Angeles and attended a grammar school. She was 16, and about to graduate from Belmont High School, when a car lost control and hit Irma along with her mother and her brother Heinz, causing severe injuries. Irma had to quit school to help with her family obligations. About this time she had a calling to the full-time ministry. Irma took summer school, attended McKay Commercial College, found a job, and moved on to Life Bible College. At age 22 she graduated with four star honors, served as graduation speaker, and was ordained into the ministry in 1935. She took off on an evangelism mission with another female evangelist, riding cross-country in a run-down Model T. Along the way, she organized a tent meeting in Milan, Michigan, where she met her husband Larry Ward. She married him on July 3 or 7, 1947 at Marble United Methodist Church in Milan. At various times she was part of a singing group; she led a youth choir with 50 members; hosted exchange students from Germany and Japan. She was a Chaplain for 30 years at Ypsilanti Regional Psychiatric Hospital west of Milan, Mich. She worked with special education students. She was active with Milan Music Study Club, Milan Senior Council, Church Women United, Girl Scout Leader and board member of Huron Valley Girl Scout Council; appointed by the governor to the Youth Council; Washtenaw Camp Placement Council; Milan Community Council; Monroe County Human Relations Council; Michigan United Way; Milan Public Library; Aid in Milan; Detroit United Methodist Conference; School of Mission; Youth Work; Sunday School Teacher, for children and adults; and "The Story Lady: for numerous VBS programs. In April 2011, she and her husband moved from Milan to Grants Pass, Oregon to be near her family. He died Oct. 3, 2012 in Oregon. She died in Oregon at the age of 103. Source: a great deal of this information came from a biography prepared jointly by Karen Bolz and Irma Ward around the time of Irma's 100th birthday.