Jean Williams Ware, age 62, of Klinger Lake, Sturgis, passed away Friday morning, Jan. 17, 2014 at her home. She was born June 30, 1951, in Wauseon, Ohio, a daughter of Donald and Grace (Willson) Williams. Her early life and growing-up years were lived in Delta, Ohio. Jean was living and working in Chicago when she built a home on Klinger Lake in 1988. On May 18, 1996, she married David Ware in Barrington, Ill., and they began to live on Klinger Lake full time a few years later. She retired in 1998 from the Chicago Board Options Exchange following 17 years of service. She was also an advisor for Barrington Capital Management. Jean was a graduate of the Ohio State University where she received her bachelor’s degree and the University of Denver receiving her master’s degree. She was a member of Klinger Lake Country Club. She loved playing cards and belonged to bridge clubs and several card groups. She enjoyed playing Mahjong, traveling, sightseeing and was an avid reader. Jean was a gifted athlete excelling in nearly any sport she tried, but she truly loved the game of golf. It seemed Jean was constantly looking for ways to help others, especially young people, and two of the many organizations she supported were the University of Michigan and the College of the Ozarks in Missouri. She is survived by her husband, David Ware; two stepdaughters, Liza (Dustin) Colclough of La Crosse, Wis., and Johanna (Tony) Kullen of Portland, Ore.; s stepson, Adam (Gina) Ware of Portland; three step grandchildren: Rohm, Ozzie and Francis Ware; her mother, Grace Williams of Toledo, Ohio; sisters Sue (Jack) Bowerman of Tampa, Fla., Patty (John) Berman of Madison, Wis., and Martha (Ed) Krammer, Kate Williams and Jackie (Ted) Riley, all of Toledo; a brother, Donald Williams, Jr. of Orlando, Fla.; eight nieces and nephews and seven great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her father; and a daughter, Kelly Jean McKinnell on June 29, 2003. In accordance with her wishes, cremation has taken place. A memorial service celebrating the life of Jean W. Ware will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25 at Hackman Family Funeral Homes – Rosenberg Chapel, 807 E. Chicago Road, Sturgis. The Rev. Cannon Meredith Hunt, rector retired of St. John’s Episcopal Church, will officiate. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations would be appreciated in Jean’s memory to Sturgis Community Foundation, 310 N. Franks Ave., Sturgis, MI 49091 or Reverence Home Health and Hospice, 348 N. Burdick St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007. Her obituary is also at www.hackmanfamilyfuneralhome.com, where personal messages of support may be left for the family.

Source:  Sturgis Journal (MI) – Tuesday, January 21, 2014