Grand Rapids Camera Club Hall of Fame 2003

Hannelore Ward joined the Grand Rapids Camera Club in 1977 along with her husband, Ken. She got her first simple box camera at age 13. It was customary at the time (1938) to line people stiffly facing the camera to remember birthdays, Christmas, etc. She astonished her family by taking a picture of her grandma’s tea kettle, and a bushel of tomatoes.

The camera and all of her belongings were lost when she fled from her home in Germany in 1945. She was given a new camera by co-workers when she immigrated to America in 1955 to marry Ken Ward.

Hannelore and Ken learned to photograph together. On one of their outings they were approached by a man who talked of photography and invited them to a meeting of the Woodland Camera Club, soon they became members of the Grand Rapids Camera Club (GRCC). When they joined GRCC, their first entries were not accepted, but the excellent images on the screen inspired them to keep trying, soon she became well known for her close ups and macro photography, shooting wildflower, birds, butterflies and insects as well as glassware set-ups.

Hannelore did not hesitate to volunteer for whatever needed to be done for the club. It started with making coffee at the meetings and setting up the chairs. She attended club competitions, judging, taking home the scores and keeping member records. She is a board member and was club secretary for many years. Together with her husband they presented glassware and still life workshops for Southwestern Michigan Council of Camera Clubs (SWMCCC) and GRCC. Hannelore earned hundreds of ribbons and awards from both SWMCCC and GRCC.

“What the club gave to me and I cannot stress this enough, all the ‘stuff’ I have mentioned was something that needed to be done by somebody.Here too I would like to point out, how important it is to me that we gave something back to this wonderful organization.” - Hannelore Ward