Mary Davis Ware, 85, of Rockdale, passed away April 27, 2026, at her residence.
Funeral ser vices will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 16, at Rising Star Baptist Church in Rockdale, with burial to follow at New Oaklawn Cemetery.
On March 1, 1941, in Tracy, Mary Lucille Davis was born to Edgar and Alice Davis.
She attended Rockdale schools and later moved to Corpus Christi. There she met and married Oliver Jackson Sr. and afterwards they moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, and shared three boys Greg, Oliver Jr. and Anthony.
Mary worked for pharmaceutical company UpJohn, ultimately becoming part of Pfzier. In addition, she worked as volunteer for Kid’s Connection Program, a mentor program run by the Kalamazoo County Department of Social Services, and spent more than 3,000 hours as “big sister.” She also gave back by being a foster parent to many children.
Upon her retirement, Mary moved back to her hometown of Rockdale in 2005 and quickly re-adapted to the community. She worked as a home care worker and became like family to her patients. She was caring, attentive and they loved her quick wit and fun personality.
While in Kalamazoo, she was a member of Galilee Missionar y Baptist Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan, under the leadership of Dr. J. Louis Felton Pastor.
After moving back to Rockdale, she rejoined her childhood church, Rising Star Baptist Church, where the Davis family has been members for over 100-years.
Mary loved interacting with people, saying spontaneous remarks to get a quick chuckle, where most times she would laugh first at her own jokes.
She loved bak ing her famous pound cake for family and spending quality time and deeply loving on them.
Mary was preceded in death by her beloved husband Frank Ware, whom she wed in 1980 and were married for 19-years until his death in 1999, and her parents, Edgar and Alice Davis, and siblings Gene and Geneva (twins passed at birth), Ben, Waymon, Julia, Clara Bell, Leonard, Herman, Henry and Linda.
She leaves to mourn three sons, Greg, Oliver Jr. and Anthony; granddaughter/daughter whom she adopted, Tykeisha Walker (Deon); grandchildren Renitha Evins (Lawrence), Jaron Jackson (Reena), Peyton Jackson (Kristin), Remington Jackson; eight great-grandchildren, Ja’Niya Wilson, Jayla Wilson, Virgil Witherspoon, Lawrence Sykes Jr., Jerail Sykes, Peyton Jackson Jr., Millie Jackson, Mireya Sykes; two great-great grandchildren, K’Lani Wilson and Laylani Sykes; two sisters, Bessie Davis, Beverly (Charles); and one brother, Lafayette; along with a host of nieces, nephews and extended family and friends.
Arrangements entrusted to Lang Funeral Home in Giddings.