“On Saturday, December 21, 2019, Sharon Elaine Ware, surrounded by friends and family, finished her life on this earth. Endeared to her family by the varied charms of her character, Sharon will be deeply missed. In our grief, with her ever-positive spirit, Sharon would want us to remember to keep smiling, because life is a beautiful thing and there is so much to smile about.
Born on August 22, 1948 in Owensboro, Kentucky, Sharon grew up in Oblong, Illinois, and graduated from Oblong Township High School in 1966. She went on to receive a BA in Nursing from Spalding College, and a Master’s in Public Health Administration from Penn State. In her long career in health administration, Sharon filled such roles as the Director of Marketing at St. Mary Elizabeth Hospital, the Director of Licensure and Regulation of nursing homes for the state of Kentucky and multiple Vice Presidencies at Humana and United Health managing physician credentialing, quality assessment, and new policy and program development. She also did extensive work with the National Committee for Quality Assurance assessing federal compliance for health care accreditation. The measure of achievement is not winning awards. It’s doing something that you appreciate, something you believe is worthwhile. Sharon lived out this principle for her whole career.
35 years ago, Sharon met Donna and together they traveled the world as soulmates. They were married on August 1, 2014 with dear friends who together represented 104 years of faithful commitment to each other. Sharon was loved, admired, and deeply respected by everyone who knew her. She was a formidable champion for people in her work and in her personal life. Sharon was loving, compassionate, genuine, trustworthy, fearless, dedicated, and fiercely loyal. She was brilliant, inspiringly generous, and she could make a pie from scratch in minutes. Sharon never knew a stranger and she was the first to arrive when help was needed. She woke up happy and always gathered people together for fun and celebration.
Sharon is preceded in death by her parents Marjorie Louise Peters Ware, and Hilton May Ware. After the death of her father, she lovingly cared for and shopped with her mother for 15 years. She loved her mother so very much. She is survived by her spouse Donna Gish and their son Greg Gish and his wife Valerie Bronson; Wendy and Sean Lennon and their children: Christie Lennon, Jamie Lennon, and Riley Lennon; her brother Dr. J. Patrick Ware and his children and grandchildren: Mrs. Jennifer Erdoes and her husband Mr. Kenny Erdoes and their children: Emma Erdoes, Jacob Erdoes, and Nathan Erdoes, and the Rev. Patrick Ware and his wife Mrs. Jordan Ware and their children: Max Walter Ware, and Glennes May Ware; her uncle and aunt Drs. Ken and Rhoda Peters and their children and grandchildren: Dr. Chris and Mindi Peters, Julian Peters, Ava Peters, Dr. Elaine Waxman, Kelsey Waxman and Katia Waxman, and Ms. Anne Vencel, Wendy Vencel and Molly Vencel. Sharon cherished each one of us.
There will be a memorial service at a later time. Memorial gifts should be offered to the Kentucky Humane Society here: https://www.kyhumane.org/how-to-help/donate.”
Source: Englewood Sun (FL) – Sunday, December 29, 2019
