Obituary of Frank Ware

Frank Holmes Ware of Rockford, IL - A quotation Frank Ware kept on his desk expresses what was, perhaps, the guiding principle of his belief system: "Nothing exits that so fills and binds the heart as love does."~ Umberto Eco. The quotation is etched into a picture frame containing an image of Frank and the love of his life, wife, Lorraine Hoover, on the Jersey shore of Cape May, their special place. Lorri died Oct. 10, 2010. Frank joined her on another beautiful shore on Sunday Feb. 13, the eve of Valentine's Day. Frank Holmes Ware was born in Hammonton on Dec. 8, 1946, the eldest of seven children of Frank and Virginia Ware. Young Frank was the family jokester and storyteller, often scaring his younger siblings with gruesome tales and pranks inspired by the mythical "Jersey Devil." Educated in a two-room schoolhouse in Nesco, Frank went on to attend Oakcrest High School, graduating in 1965. Frank left New Jersey to attend William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa, earning a BA in English with minors in psychology and history. He subsequently earned his MSW from the University of Iowa. When he came to Janet Wattles Center on Feb. 13, 1989, the agency was on the brink of financial ruin. As president/CEO for 22 years, Frank turned the organization around. When Janet Wattles affiliated with Rosecrance Health Network on Jan 1, 2011 Frank became senior vice president and chief operating officer for Mental Health Services for the organization. He also was an adjunct assistant professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Iowa. Frank was comfortable with and accepting of people who were social casualties, people who had fallen out of the mainstream because of drugs and alcohol or mental illness. He was a visionary for mental health services, a respected administrator and leader of national stature. He is survived by daughter, Courtney Ortel of Rockford; siblings: Nancy (Bob) Pelekoski of Ocean City, NJ; Martha Ware; David (Michele) Ware both of Hammonton; Estella Domenico, William Ware, Robert (Linda) Ware, all of Nesco; sister in law: Lavonne (Dan) Johnston; bother in law: Terry (Jenny) Hoover all of Davenport; nieces and nephews: Crystal Domenico, David and Michael Ware, James Ryan; William Domenico all of Nesco; Christian (Tanya) Kerr of Winnebago; Nikki Kerr, Mikaela Hoover, Jim Hoover and Leila Lorraine Deaver, all of Davenport. Frank was predeceased by his parents and his in laws: Ardeth and Walter Hoover. A visitation will be held at New Columbia United Methodist Church in Nesco on Wednesday Feb. 23, from 10:00am -11:00am. Services will follow at 11:00am. Lorri's cremains will be interred with Frank at the historic Batsto Cemetery in the Pine Barrens they loved. Memorials may be made to the Frank H. Ware Fund, c/o Janet Wattles Foundation, 526 W. State St. Rockford, IL 61101. Arrangements are by the Carnesale Funeral Home, Hammonton, NJ.