James E. Ware

James Edward Ware, 59, died unexpectedly of natural causes on Wednesday, February 16, 2022, while visiting loved ones in San Antonio, TX. He is survived by Lisa, his wife of 37 years, daughters Alexandria Ware and Brittany (Marco) Tenorio, his 5 grandchildren, Marco, Charlotte, Amelia, Madeline, and Juliet, 3 siblings, William Ware, Jeffrey (Sue) Ware, and Sandra (Ron) Schieck, multiple nieces, nephews, and cousins, along with a multitude of military family he adopted throughout his years of service to the United States Air Force. Jim, affectionately known as Jimi or “Papa,” was incredibly proud of his family, and his devotion to them was evident in his constant willingness to drop everything to be there in their time of need. Jim talked frequently about his childhood in Washington, PA, his family, and enduring friendships that he made along his journey. He was an avid hockey player in his younger years, and a lifetime supporter of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Steelers. Jim enlisted in the United States Air Force shortly after high school, and his first assignment was to Wright Patterson AFB (OH), where he met and married his wife Lisa, a fellow service member. Over the next few years, their family grew to include two daughters, Brittany and Alexandria. Together, the family accompanied and supported Jim through several job changes, moves to 11 different Air Force bases, and deployments to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Philippines. He began his military career as a lab tech, then a computer systems technician, then ultimately found his calling as a Physician Assistant, working first in family practice and later specializing in orthopedics. Jim’s dedication to service was evident throughout his 29-year military career, and he was especially proud of the fact that he and Lisa had amassed a combined total of 53 years of service to their country. He retired from the Air Force in 2011, but he continued to serve by volunteering for military tax centers, where he completed tax forms for military and low-income families at no cost. He also loved refurbishing old homes and spent hours working alongside his family and friends fixing or upgrading houses. Over the last couple of years, Jim also honed his golf game, became scuba certified, and worked to “perfect” his love of playing the stock market. A private “Celebration of Life” will be held in Jim’s honor.