Nevins was born Jan. 24, 1916, in Bowling Green, Mo., a son to William Paul and Ruby Ethel (Dougherty) Ware.
He married Gertrude V. Gray in Bowling Green, Mo., Nov. 24, 1946, and she survives.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church, Pinckneyville and served as a deacon there since 1949. He served in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He managed the former P.N. Hirch Store in Pinckneyville for 40 years. He was an artist who worked with oil and acrylic paints, painted landscape and building portraits, especially of Pinckneyville, and received numerous awards. He taught art at Rend Lake College, Ina, and John A. Logan College, Carterville. He was a very loving husband and father.
Survivors include his wife Gertrude of Pinckneyville; and one son, William Clay “Bill” and Sue Ware of Lake Zurich.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Paul Durward Ware.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, May 16, 2005, in First Baptist Church, Pinckneyville, with Pastor Rick Hatley and the Rev. Charles Boling officiating. Interment will be in Memorial Gardens in Bowling Green, Mo. Friends may call from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday and from 8 to 8:30 a.m. Monday at Pyatt-Harrawood Funeral Home in Pinckneyville, then from 9 to 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church.
Memorials may be made to Mary Kuykendahl Carpenter Heart Fund.
