Bennie Jean Ware

Bennie Jean Ware was born in Calion, Arkansas on December 12, 1939 to Ben & Fannie Mae Ware. The Ware Family moved to Vanport City in Portland, Oregon in 1944. The Ware Family are survivors of the May 30, 1948 Vanport flood.  After the devastating flood the family was up rooted, and moved to Guild's Lake in NW Portland for a short time and later moved to St. John’s in North Portland.

Ben & Fannie Mae bought their first and only family home at 209 NE Monroe St. in 1956, and that’s where Bennie lived with her granddaughter Corey until her passing. She received her
education at MacArthur and Sitton Grade Schools and graduated in 1958 from Rosevelt High School. Bennie Jean joined MT. Sinai Community Church at a early age with her family and was baptized under the leadership of the late Rev. MC Cheeks.

Bennie Jean worked for Good Samaritan Hospital in 1964 as a Nurses Aide. In 1969 she gave birth to her only son Corey. Because of her love for children, in 1977 she decided to leave Good Samaritan Hospital for the Portland Public School District where she joined her older sister Betty. She loved traveling back and forth to Arkansas by car during summer vacations with her parents and son. She was a big time Portland Trail Blazer, and Dallas Cowboys fan, until she joined her daughter-in-law Teresa and found the love for the San Francisco 49ers and therefore told the cowboys to take a hike. She retired in 1998 from the Portland public school district as a teachers aid, so she could dedicate all her time to her grandchildren. In 2008 she got the itch to return to the school district and did so part-time at Sabin Grade School where her granddaughter Kylin attended.

She loved her family very much, she loved and cherished her son Corey. She was a very strict mother, only because she wanted the best for her son. They shared a close mother and son relationship and Corey was her life. Her last words to her son, was be strong and don’t cry because I’m going to be ok. She had a very close relationship with her oldest sister Betty until her passing.  Bennie loved talking on the phone with her brothers and nephew Karl. Bennie Jean was the historian of the family. She knew this family inside and out, and if there was anything that the family wanted to know about their roots all they had to do was pick up the phone and call their aunt Bennie Jean. During her final hours, she asked to go home, but not the home where she lived, she wanted to go home with her savior, Lord Jesus Christ.

Bennie Jean was preceded in death by her grandparents; father, Ben Ware; mother, Fannie Mae Ware; 1 sister Betty (Ware) Tolbert; brother-law, Clarence Tolbert; four aunt’s, six uncle’s; niece Glenda Moore; two nephews, Kamen Ware, Billy Clay and a long time companion Hayden A. Golden.

She leaves to cherish her memories one son, Corey Delano Ware (Teresa) of Vancouver Washington; three brothers, Donnell Ware (Leanna), Ernest Lee Ware(Jenny), Billy Ware (Ann) all of Portland;  five grandchildren, Corey Delana Ware, Kailah Bertness, Cortelle Nevell Clark, Kylin Ware, and Kayden Bertness; two great grandchildren, Marquis Ware and Kaden Bertness  a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

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