He was born in Catoosa County on Dec. 28, 1922, to B.B. and Mattie Lou Ware. After his mother died in 1933 and his father died in 1939, he was given a home by John and Ethel Callaway of Ringgold.
He was educated in Catoosa County Schools, graduating from Ringgold High School in 1940. He entered Berry College and was called into the Service in 1943. A year after returning home from the service Mr. Ware entered the University of Georgia. He received his undergraduate degree in August 1948, master’s in 1951, and specialist in education in 1969.
He started as teacher and later became principal at Ringgold Junior and High Schools and was elected superintendent of Catoosa County in 1968. He was appointed superintendent of Chickamauga Schools in 1974 and retired from there in 1985.
Mr. Ware and his wife, Doris, became members of the Ringgold Methodist Church in 1949 and later Elizabeth Lee United Methodist Church in Chickamauga from 1974 to 1986 when they returned to Ringgold and Ringgold United Methodist Church.
He was active in educational organizations, local, district, state and national. He was an active member of Professional Association of Georgia Educators, which he helped found. During his membership in the Lookout Schoolmasters Club in Chattanooga, he held offices, including president. He was past president of Ringgold Civitan Club, past Adjutant and Commander of American Legion Post #40 and Emeritus member of Quitman Lodge #106 F&AM and Scottish Rite Society.
After his retirement from education, he and his wife Doris moved back to Ringgold, where he continued his love for gardening and sharing fresh produce for family and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and stepparents; brothers, J.C. and B.B. Ware; sister, Rebecca M. Cusumano; and stepbrothers, J. W. and Richard Callaway.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Doris Gene Kauffman Ware; sons and daughter-in-laws, Alan (Pat) Ware, of Billings, Mo., Jim Ware, of Marietta, Ga., and Bill (Karen) Ware, of Ringgold; four grandsons, Jeffrey and Zachary Ware, of Billings, Mo., and Britton and Graham Ware, of Ringgold. He also is survived by a sister, Bertha L. Ware; and stepbrothers Jim Callaway, of Ringgold, and Ben Callaway, of Waycross, Ga.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, 2006, at Ringgold United Methodist Church with the Rev. Richard Clark and the Rev. Steve Moore officiating.
Interment will follow in Chattanooga National Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Jeffrey and Zachary Ware, Britton and Graham Ware, Willis Dietz, Bill Kinzy, Mike Steakley and Jerry Watkins.
Honorary pallbearers will be Ringgold United Methodist Church FOB Sunday School class.
The family will receive friends from 3 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. today and until 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the Ringgold United Methodist Church building fund.
Online register book is at www .wilsonfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements are by Wilson Funeral Home, Wallis-Stewart Chapel, Ringgold, 24-hour obituary line, (706) 861-1060.
