Willie Jerome Ware

Mr. Willie Ware, age 59, of Dothan, Alabama passed away Friday, January 24, 2020.

Visitation will be Wednesday, January 29, 2020 from 4 PM to 6 PM at the funeral home.

Funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 30, 2020 at 11 AM at Georgette L. Scott's Memorial Chapel.

Burial will immediately follow the service at Gates of Heaven cemetery.

Mr. Willie Jerome Ware was born in Dothan, Alabama on July 1, 1960 to his loving mother Willie Faye McClendon.  He transitioned during the final hours of Friday, January 24, 2020.

Affectionately known as "Chef Willie" and "Tater", Willie's passion was cooking, and he was good at it.  He loved food and one of his favorites was a properly cooked and seasoned steak.  It mattered to him that food, he served, was cooked right and he would not serve anything that was not up to standard.  

Willie discovered his love for cooking, during his early years, as an aspiring chef at Miami International Airport.  He later traveled to Dothan, and closer to his family, first working at Holiday Inn North and later moved to the South location.  While there, along with a close friend, Willie established Jakes and revived the Sunday Dinner and also worked at Mildred's Tea Room, and all three enterprises are still thriving today.

During his early years, Willie also established the kitchen for PoFolks.  You can still see the addition he supervised from ground up at the rear of the building.

He, then, moved on to Dothan Country Club where he worked for several years.  Behind the scenes, he added several dishes to their menu; among them, a burger made from the trimmings of filet mignon.  The absolute best burger in Dothan at that time.

Throughout the years, he was often hired to prepare course meals in private homes and banquets for events.  He even catered his own wedding.  Sometimes people called him, at home, asking him to cook something for them as only he could do.

His final earthly kitchen was at Huggin Molly's in Abbeville, Alabama.  He felt great joy and pride in working for Mr. Rane.

Willie cooked for his family and for his friends.  He cooked for the neighborhood, for the elderly who needed a visit, and for those under the tree.  He shared techniques, gave tips and taught others who were interested in his craft.  This is how he best expressed his love and friendship.  He cooked, you liked it, and everyone was happy.

He went fishing, as often as he could, with friends and family and as we all know he always caught the most and biggest fish.  Highly competitive, he often enjoyed a good game of tonk or dominoes with friends.  During early years, he had a great love for biking.  He would keep a stash of bike parts to repair bicycles for children in his neighborhood.  When a child did not have a bike, he would get them one.

Willie loved his mom, his brothers and sisters.  He loved his children, and at the core of his heart were his grandchildren, who he showered with love and gifts whenever he could.

Willie was preceded in death by his grandmother: Mary Lee Ware, beloved uncle: William "Punkin" Ware, brother-in-law: Robert Emojevwe and lifelong friends: "Chef" BJ Jackson and Lamar Kirkland.

Willie leaves behind cherish memories to his mother: Willie Faye Ware; his children: William Isaac Ware (Asia), Brian-Paul Ware ( Jessica) and Franci Iris Gathers (Jay); siblings: Jessie Allen, Dexter Allen (Annie) and Connie Emojevwe; grandchildren: Irisa Gabrielle Reynolds, Ivy Janae Gathers, Solomon Isai Ware and soon to come little baby Ware;  Aunts: Annie Ware-Brooks and Julia Robinson, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, friends and fishing buddy: Bill, Kenneth Marshall and Olivia.

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