Roger Blaine Ware

Roger Blaine Ware Sr., age 87, of Greenwood Village, Colorado passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 3, 2022, surrounded by family. Roger was born on November 20, 1934, in St. Louis Park, Minnesota to the late Fletcher Kirkland Ware Sr. and Florence Janet (Monahan) Ware.

Roger spent his formative years in Florida and attended Coral Gables High School, where he lettered in football and track. Roger joined the Army after graduation and went to basic training in Camp Chaffee, AR. He then attended the U.S.M.A. Preparatory School before receiving his appointment to the United States Military Academy (West Point). Roger graduated from West Point in 1959 and left military service in 1962 after three years with the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, NC where he was a paratrooper and burgeoning helicopter pilot.

It was during Roger’s time at the U.S.M.A. Preparatory School where he met the love of his life and soulmate Clorinda (Parziale) Ware of Bergenfield, NJ during a school dance. They never left each other’s side from that moment on. They were married the day after Roger graduated from West Point until his passing. Roger had four sons, all of whom have gone on to have successful careers and marriages. He was blessed with nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren that all adored and loved spending time with him.

Roger began his insurance career after leaving the military and quickly rose through the ranks as an underwriter and an executive. During his tenure as a developing insurance executive, he received an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1967 and completed the Harvard Advanced Management Program in 1981. For the last thirteen years of his career, Roger was President and CEO of Guaranty National Insurance Company from where he retired in 1996 after rescuing the company from near bankruptcy. Roger was also appointed to the Board of Directors of Orion Capital upon their acquisition of Guaranty National.

Roger is survived by his beautiful wife (Clorinda), four sons and their spouses (Roger and Agnes, Keith and Elizabeth, Mark and Amy, Glenn and Lisa), nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. A funeral service for Roger was held November 14, 2022, at St. Thomas More Catholic Church and he is interred at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary & Cemetery, 6601 South Colorado Blvd, Centennial, CO 80121.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerchapelhill.com for the Ware family. Donations to the Alzheimer’s Association of Colorado in honor of Roger can be made at ww.alz.org/com