Edward Frank Ware, 84, of Hillsboro, Illinois passed away on Sunday, September 8, 2013, at Montgomery Nursing and Rehabilitation, Taylor Springs, Illinois. 

Mr. Ware was born on January 1, 1929, at Litchfield, Illinois to the late Frank & Nina (Grassel) Ware.  He married Nona Lee Ott in Hillsboro, Illinois on July 30, 1950.  She survives in Hillsboro, Illinois. 

He graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1946, graduated from Northern Illinois University, where he played basketball, with a teaching degree and earned his Master's degree from the University of Illinois in 1952.   Mr. Ware taught school and coached freshman football, varsity basketball and also tennis in Olney, Illinois from 1952 to 1954, returned to Hillsboro, Illinois in 1954 to join the family business of Barnstable-Ware Feed Store and eventually became owner/operator of Fillmore Grain Elevator in Fillmore, Illinois.  He was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Hillsboro Moose Lodge #1377, President of the Hillsboro School Board, served on the Steering Committee to build the new hospital in 1976, then later served on the Hillsboro Area Hospital Board.  Mr. Ware loved sports and was instrumental in the design of the new golf course at the Hillsboro Country Club.  He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame at Northern Illinois University in 1999.

Survivors include his wife, Nona, of Hillsboro, Illinois, 3 daughters, Susan (husband Bob) Pollard, Patricia (husband Dr. Brian) Cady and Lisa (husband Marvin) Traylor all of Hillsboro, Illinois, 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.  Memorials may be made to the Ware's Grove Lutheran Church.

Cremation rites were accorded.  A private memorial service held at a later date.

Bass-Patton-Dean Funeral Home, Hillsboro, IL