Obituary of Howard Lee Ware, Jr.

Deacon Howard Lee Ware, Jr. received his Heavenly reward on November 24, 2024. Born on October 14, 1936, in Wellford, South Carolina, he was the firstborn child of Howard Lee Ware, Sr. and Nora Nesbitt Ware. He was the apple of their eye. His only sibling, sister Lula Mae, joined the family a few years later. Howard attended Florence Chapel High School in Wellford, SC. and joined the United States Air Force soon after graduation. He united with Elizabeth Walker in Holy Matrimony on August 22, 1959 – a marriage that lasted for 50 years until her passing in 2009. Two daughters were born to this union – Christine Elizabeth and Caran Lee. His tours of duty included the United Kingdom, Korea, Ohio, Wyoming, Iowa, Colorado, Germany and California. Sgt. Ware retired from the Air Force in May of 1975 after proudly serving for twenty-plus years. He settled his family in the Denver area where he was briefly employed at the Denver Mint and finally employed with the US Postal Service where he worked for an additional 20 years and retired for the second time. Deacon Ware was ordained at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio on January 6, 1963. This was an office that he did not take lightly. He was a praying man who always began his corporate prayers with the phrase, “Dear Heavenly Father, Oh God!” He read his Bible(s) voraciously, lived the teachings of the Word and instructed and instilled the Faith to his children and grandchildren. One of the tenets of The Baptist Church Covenant is: “When we move from this place we will as soon as possible unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this Covenant and the principles of God’s Word.” And he did just that in every corner of the nation and the world where he lived. His favorite Bible verse was Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.” In addition to being a Deacon, he served in several capacities in the Church over his life - Sunday School teacher, Usher, Choir member, Men’s Day Chairperson, Brotherhood member, etc. Howard’s favorite pastimes were reading and hanging out in bookstores, car shows, singing, watching football games and spending time with his granddaughters. He enjoyed many kinds of music – from Gospel to Jazz and R&B. He also loved driving cross-country in his car. In the early days, he would only stop for gas – food and restroom breaks had to be incorporated into the time allotted for refueling. This was to ensure that he had optimal bragging rights with his friends on how quickly he was able to get to his final destination. His favorite restaurants were The Original Pancake House and The Black-eyed Pea; and he could stir up amazing breakfast potatoes that were always on demand from his granddaughters. Howard was a devoted and hardworking man. He was first and foremost concerned with the well-being of his family and was ever present in their lives. He encouraged his children and grandchildren to prioritize their education. “Once you have your education, no one can take that away from you!” On your birthday, without fail, he would call and sing “Happy Birthday”, and always added “I love you, I do” as an additional verse to the song. He was predeceased by his father Howard Lee Ware, Sr., his mother Nora Nesbitt Ware, his wife Elizabeth Alberta Walker Ware, his grandmother Queen Isabel James Nesbitt, his sister Lula Mae Nesbitt, and a host of other loved ones. Left to cherish his memory and carry out his legacy are his daughters Christine Ware of Aurora, CO and Caran Ware (Oscar) Joseph of Denver, CO; his granddaughters Morgan Lowe of Aurora, CO, Jordan Lowe and Auburn Joseph both of Denver, CO; his sisters-in-law Gloria Gaddy of Bowie, MD, Elouise Walker and Macie Strickland both of Columbus, OH; brother-in-law Herman (Patty) Walker of Columbus, Ohio; cousin Queen Elizabeth Nesbitt of Wellford, SC; and countless nieces, nephews, family and friends. To God be the Glory for such a long, productive and wonderful life!