Myra Jane Stewart Ware passed away peacefully at age 92 on April 22, 2012, at Pink Bud Nursing Center in Greenwood. She was born in her parents’ home in Greenwood on Dec. 11, 1919, the first of four children of Halton B. Stewart and Ruth Joyce Stewart. She was a graduate of Greenwood High School and later of Arkansas Tech and the University of Arkansas with a degree in home economics. She married Ben J. Cumnock, also a UA graduate, and had three children. In 1960, she married Earl Edward Ware, also of Greenwood and a longtime family friend. Jane and Earl lived three years in Ohio before returning to Arkansas, where they began a business, Kettle Smoke House in Van Buren and Springdale. The business was founded on country cured hams and bacon as well as a retail store dealing in gourmet foods. They later expanded to a second site in Springdale. They retired and realized their shared dream in 1986 of returning home to live in Greenwood. Jane had many interests such as the Greenwood Garden Club, but was especially active in the South Sebastian Historical Society. Jane loved to travel to Europe, South America and later extensively in the United States and Canada by travel trailer, tour bus and cruise ship. Jane is survived by two brothers, Vernon Stewart and his wife Louise and H.B. Stewart and his wife Barb; eight nieces and nephews; her children, Ben Cumnock and his children, Lynne Cumnock Flowers and Jared Bryan; Sue Cumnock Williams and her husband Keith and their sons, Seth and Casey Williams; and Mike Cumnock and his wife Pam and their children, Deven Cumnock and Alissa Cumnock Royal. Jane has six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband Earl E. Ware; and one brother, Charles C. Stewart and his wife, Jane Ray Stewart. Pallbearers will be her grandchildren. Honorary pallbearers will be her brothers, Vernon Stewart and H.B. Stewart. Jane was a longtime member of Greenwood Methodist Church, where she was baptized as an infant, and she especially treasured her friends and family. Services will be held at Greenwood Methodist Church in Greenwood at 2 p.m. Friday. Visitation will be held at McConnell Funeral Home Chapel from 1-8 p.m. today, and the family will be present to greet friends and family from 6-8 p.m. Donations may be made to Greenwood Methodist Church or the South Sebastian Historical Society. For further information or to place an online tribute, please visit www.mcconnellfh.com.

Source: Southwest Times Record (Fort Smith, AR) – Thursday, April 26, 2012