Mary Alicia Ware

Mary Alicia Ware, known to all as Mary Lee, Grandma Lee, or in younger years as Lee Lee, passed peacefully in her sleep in the early morning of November 17, 2020. She was 90 years old. Mary Lee had lived in Scarsdale since 1961 and worked as an assistant teacher in both the Baptist Church Nursery School and the St. James the Less Nursery School for many years and then became an aide in the Fox Meadow Elementary School Library for over 30 years. She was known for her love of laughter, mischievous humor, terrible sense of direction, watching sports, love of spending time with her beloved friends golfing, bowling, or having lunch at Pizza & Brew, firm association with her Irish heritage, and putting on a brogue as few American-born Irish can do. In past years, she was most frequently seen at the Scarsdale Public Library, trading in one stack of mystery novels for the next.

Any description of Mary Lee would be incomplete without heralding her love of animals. When not caring for her own family cats, dogs, and birds, she was busy walking friends dogs, or feeding neighbors cats just to be out and about with such "wonderful beasties" as she would say.

Mary Lee grew up outside of Cleveland, Ohio and was one of four children. She was raised in a loving extended family of cousins, aunts, and uncles. Mary Lee graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Music, piano her particular skill, and moved to New York City to work in a music publishing house. Soon after, she met her beloved husband, Dr. James (Jim) R. Ware. Jim’s mischievous humor rivaled her own, but blessedly, he had better navigational skills.

She leaves a legacy of loving her family, being kind to everyone, and creating a home where everyone felt welcome. Numbers of people, most notably kids in the Overhill Rd./ School Lane neighborhood where she was a mom, have written to share their memories of the safe space she created. Her friends have called her a special jewel in their treasure chest of friends.

She leaves behind many who will miss her dearly, that list led by her three grown children, Michael James Ware, Alicia Marcelle Simons (with husband Hilary Simons), and Timothy Luke Ware (with wife Monica Ware), and her 10 grandchildren, Meagan, Natalie, Greta, Nick, Julia, Heidi, Jessica, Lucy, Luke, and Victoria.

Rest in eternal peace, Mary Lee. You are missed.