Thomas Lucky "Cap" Ward served in World War II, where he received a Purple Heart with oak leaf clusters for being wounded, and a Bronze Star for helping save his wounded boat mates. In 1951, he became the principal of Huntersville Elementary and later served as mayor of Huntersville from 1958-1961. Ward was a member of First Baptist Church – Huntersville where he taught Sunday School for many years and a class was named for him.