Gwendolyn Mary Robert Ware, 87, of Baton Rouge, passed away peacefully at her home on Sunday, November 26, 2017 surrounded by her family. Mrs. Ware was born September 15, 1930 at Our Lady of the Lake Sanatorium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She and her older sister Ethelyn were the only children of Libby Robert and Stella Ourso Robert. Their mother and unborn brother passed in 1932 during childbirth. She and her sister, Ethelyn, went to live with their Aunt Theresa and Uncle Ernest Dupere on Dupere’s Dairy farm in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. They helped milk cows and wash milk bottles while growing up. After graduating from high school, while working for the soil conservation agency, she met and married her Standard Coffee salesman, Daniel Joseph Ware. They became husband and wife on December 17, 1949 in Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. They lived in a small home on Bayou Road in Donaldsonville until they moved to Baton Rouge around 1960. They initially lived in a house on Washington Avenue, then later moved to a house on Gail Drive, where they would stay. Not long after moving to Baton Rouge, Mrs. Ware went to work for the IRS until she earned a retirement, then she started a second career with the East Baton Rouge school board until she retired a second time. After retiring from the school board, she took a writing course and wrote many short stories about her life experiences, some of which were published in the Baton Rouge newspaper, The Advocate. A strong devout Catholic, she was a member of St. George Catholic Church, but would later become a member of St. Agnes. In her last years, she attended St. Patrick. Mrs. Ware had a strong love for family and family gatherings. She especially looked forward to a yearly crawfish boil at her home with family, friends and neighbors. She loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren immensely and always looked forward to a visit from them. She also loved her yard, flowers, and her dog Lola. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Daniel Joseph Ware, who passed away May 13, 2009. Her sister Ethelyn Robert Curtain passed away March 13, 2005 and her son John Francis Ware passed away April 10, 1988. She will be lovingly remembered by her five children, Libby Ware Elliott (and fiancé Gary Melancon), Daniel Joseph Ware, Patrick Gerard Ware (and wife Lisa Efferson Frost Ware), Donice Ware Garner (and husband Jim Garner), and Martin “Marty” Ware (and wife Farin Fabré Ware). She will also fondly remembered by her ten grandchildren, Danya Lynn Elliott, Lysle Joseph Elliott, Rachael Nicole Ware, Laura Christine Ware Delaune, Lindsey Marie Ware Piattoly, Melissa Noel Ware Richardson, Christopher Patrick Ware, Joseph Grady Poisso, Samantha Renee Garner, and Jonathan Adam Ware and 12 great grandchildren. Visiting at St. Agnes Catholic Church, 749 East Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA, on Wednesday, November 29, 2017 from 9:00 am until Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am with Rev. J. Clifton Hill celebrant. Entombment in St. George Mausoleum. Special thanks to her caregivers, Amanda McClelland and Melissa Sykes, and a special thanks to her neighbor and friend, Patti Weatherly. Please share condolences at www.rabenhorst.com.

Source:  Advocate, The (Baton Rouge, LA) – Monday, November 27, 2017