ELKHORN — Jim Ward III, an early collaborator with Lake Geneva’s Gary Gygax at TSR in the creation of role-playing games including Dungeon’s and Dragons, died Monday, March 18, 2024, at the age of 72.
At TSR, he designed the first science fiction role-playing game in, “Metamorphosis Alpha,” and the first apocalyptic role-playing game, “Gamma World.”
He wrote many best-selling game products with the help of the design department.
Some of those products included the D&D supplement Gods, Demigods, & Heroes, the AD&D products Deities & Demigods and the hardbound supplement of Greyhawk Adventures, according to his obituary.
After leaving TSR Ward continued to write game products, including a G.I. Joe book, as well as a G.I. Joe script for a cartoon show; the Great Shakes Charlie Brown dice game, Dragonscales and 77 Lost Words role-playing games using a deck of cards; Of Gods and Monsters clerical pantheon product, and what he considered his best work in the “Storyteller’s Thesaurus,” Hasbro’s Drangonball Z dice game, Playoffs Dragonball Z collectible card game, and Troll Lords Warden role-playing game.
Ward married his high school sweetheart, Janean Bray. They have three sons; Breck, Jimmy (James IV), and Theon.
A Memorial Service for Ward will be held at Haase-Lockwood & Associates Funeral Home and Crematory of Elkhorn on Monday March 25, 2024 at 3 p.m. Visitation will take place before the service beginning at noon.
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