Lottie Renetta Ware

By the time she left earth to be with God on June 20, 2016, Lottie Ware was loved by many. She'd been married for 62 year. She had three successful adult children, 6 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Lottie's legacy of love, caring and giving lives on through them .

She was educated at Carver High School in Pasacgoula, MS where she graduated in 1953.  In 1957 she graduated from Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) with a BA in Education and a minor in Music. She proudly marched in the MVSU Marching Band playing clarinet. This is where her interests in literacy and music for underserved youth began to blossom.  When she graduated from MVSU in 1957, with the intent to teach elementary school, she'd also developed competency on the piano and guitar.  She went on to teach 2nd Grade at Broad St. Elementary School in Greenwood, MS.

As Lottie and her husband Bill began developing their family a decision was made to move from the Mississippi Delta to California to seek opportunity for their children.

While in California Lottie taught Head Start Preschool, then Special Needs children.  Further, she was actively involved in her community offering her home for a number of civic and charitable events, playing piano for the childen's choir at church, encouraging attendance at local and professional concerts and plays, and supporting the artistic endeavors of her children and their friends.

A little over a decade after moving to California, Lottie having earned a Master's Degree in Education from Chapman University and Bill earning a Ph d. in Education from University of Southern California, she and Bill decided that their family was sufficiently established to move back to the Mississippi Delta to help more deserving people. Immediately upon returning to the Mississippi Lottie took a job developing curriculum for the Mississippi State School District. She would go on to teach in the Starkville Public School District.  True to form, she immersed herself in community, serving in supportive and leadership roles for several organizations including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (25 year member), American Association of University Women, MVSU Alumni Association, Salvation Army Advisory Board, Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, Greenwood Leflore Autism Spectrum Society, Greenwood Community Kitchen Board of Directors, Retired Education Personnel Association, and many others.

As a result of her work in the Mississippi Delta, Lottie was recognized with more awards than can be recalled here. A few include:

  • Woman of the Year – Women of Shiloh Seventh Day Adventist Church

  • Outstanding Community Service Award – United Methodist Women Wesly United Methodist Church

  • Outstanding Educator Award – Phi Delta Kappa

  • Professional Excellence & Leadership Award – Phi Delta Kappa (Mississippi State University Chapter)

  • Community Service Award – Shiloh Seventh Day Adventist Church (Prayer Coordinator, Community Kitchen, Interest Coordinator, Musician)

  • Certificate of Appreciation – Delta Sigma Theta – Mississippi Golden Triangle Alumni Chapter

  • Community Service Award – Delta Sigma Theta Greenwood - Itta Bena Alumni

  • MSFCWC Arts & Crafts Judges Award

  • Delta Dear Award – Delta Sigma Theta Greenwood – Itta Bena Alumnae Chapter

  • Starkville School District Distinguished Service Award

  • Retiree of the Year (twice) – Greenwood – Leflore Retired Education Personnel Association

Beyond civic engagement, Lottie was known for her personal touch; her ability to make everyone feel special. Stories of her love for her neighbor abound including:

  • Washing the clothes of an acquaintance for 6 months as she convalesced from an operation;

  • Serving in leadership positions in her sorority and church.

    Lottie Herger Ware will be posthumously inducted into the Pascagoula Negro/Carver High School Alumni Association's prestigious Wall of Fame Sunday, July 2nd, 2023 at 8am. The induction will be held in the Aaron Jones Family Interactive Center (Carver's gym) on the corner of Market and Skip Streets in Pascagoula, MS. and is open to the public.