Betty Lou Ware

Betty Lou Ware, 86, passed away peacefully at home on November 14, 2025, after a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Born on October 30, 1939, in Mingo, West Virginia, she was the daughter of William Herbert Wood and Mary Woodsie Wood (Sharp). Soon after graduating high school, Betty set out with her lifelong friend, moving to Washington, D.C., to begin her career as an administrative assistant at the Pentagon. On July 11, 1959, she married the love of her life, Ralph Daton Ware. Shortly after marrying, the couple spent time stationed in Germany during Ralph’s Army service, an experience they remembered fondly throughout their lives. Ralph & Betty spent as much time as they could where it all started, at the family farm in West Virginia, a place they both cherish deeply. In the late 1960s, Ralph and Betty settled in Alexandria, Virginia, where they purchased their family home and raised their two sons. Betty devoted herself to being a full-time mother before returning to work once her children were in school. She spent many years with The Tile Contractors Association of America and later found her true calling as the church secretary at Lincolnia United Methodist Church in Alexandria, a role she held with dedication for more than two decades. Deeply involved in her church community, Betty was known for her warmth, kindness, and quiet strength. She found joy in sewing, baking, reading, and—most of all—spending time with her beloved grandchildren. Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Ralph Daton Ware. She is survived by their sons, Timothy Ralph Ware (wife Jennifer) and Thomas Daton Ware (wife Gina), and by her grandchildren, Taylor Ann Ware, Emma Paige Liedy (husband Virgil), and Daton William Ware. The family will receive friends and loved ones at Pierce Funeral Home, 9609 Center Street, Manassas, Virginia, on Saturday, November 22, from 7–9 p.m. A service will be held on Sunday, November 23, at 3 p.m., with a reception to follow. All are warmly invited to attend. Interment will be private at a later date. Betty’s legacy lives on through the family she cherished and the countless lives she touched with her gentle spirit. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered with love. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation.

Betty Lou Ware

October 30, 1939 - November 14, 2025