Obituary

Funeral services for Essie Maie Ware Stevens, 75, were at 2 p.m. today at Seth Ward Baptist Church with the Rev. Jim Ritter officiating. Burial was in Plainview Cemetery by Kornerstone Funeral Directors of Plainview. Mrs. Stevens died Saturday, Sept. 9, 2006, in Covenant Medical Center Lubbock. She was born July 5, 1931, in Wantonga, Okla., to James and Evia Goodman. She grew up in Roaring Springs and Three Rivers, Pond and Corcoran, Calif. She attended school in Roaring Springs and California, moving to Plainview in 1968. She married Ray Ware on Jan. 3, 1948, in Spur. He died June 21, 1990. She married J.P. Stevens in 1992. He died March 18, 1997. She worked as a cook for several years at Hale Center Senior Citizens and Hi-Plains Hospital. She also worked as a private sitter for the elderly. She was a member and past president of both VFW Ladies Auxiliary and American Legion Ladies Auxiliary and served as an officer in the District Auxiliary. She was a member of Seth Ward Baptist Church. Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Gail and Jerry Cox of Plainview; four sons and three daughters-in-law, James and Lynette Ware of Rowlett, David and Libby Ware and Ronnie Ware and Debra Lyons, all of Amarillo, and Randy and Jo Beth Ware of Plainview; 12 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Her parents; one daughter, Linda Jo; two brothers; and two sisters are deceased. Pallbearers were her grandsons: Daryl Ware, Jeremy Ware, Trent Ware, George Rager, Ruben Beasley and Matt Blackburn.