A visitation for Mr. Matthew Ware, will be held Friday, February 14, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 pm at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, followed by a celebration of life service at 12:00 PM.
Interment will follow at New Crown Cemetery - 2101 Churchman Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46203.
CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF
MATTHEW “FLY” WARE
THE JOUNEY BEGAN
Matthew was born on February 3, 1956, and was the baby of fifteen (15) born to Gussie Spearman Ware and Paul Columbus Ware, Sr. in Indianapolis, Indiana.
He was a “mama’s” boy and was adored and spoiled by his mother and his sisters and countless nieces with a few that are older than he was.
At the age of 12, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior under Pastor Richard Gregory of Beulah Baptist Church. He remained an active member in their Youth Choir and Sunday School until leaving for college.
Matthew attended G.W. Carver School #87 from kindergarten to 8th grade. He had a thirst for knowledge, had a knack for numbers, and excelled at his real first love…Basketball.
His athletic talents would earn him a 4-year scholarship to Cathedral High School. He helped to lead the team to victory in the 1972 Regional Championships earning him the nickname “ Fly Ware”.
Upon graduating in 1974, he enrolled in Western Wyoming College where he earned an associate degree and continued making headlines on the basketball scene catching the attention of his beloved Alma Mater, Fisk University.
Full of confidence, charisma, and crazy handles, Matthew would go on to transfer to Fisk University tearing up the court and becoming a King on campus. Making friends all over the Fisk campus, he went about challenging and encouraging those around him to always think bigger than their circumstances and strive for more in life.
He was the nation’s leading scorer in Basketball while at Fisk and breaking records for rebounding and many other types in Basketball. His contributions were so impactful, the university inducted him into the Fisk University Sports Hall of Fame class of 2021.
After graduating from Fisk in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting, he would move on to begin his corporate career with Colgate-Palmolive as a Cost Accountant in Boston, MA. After working in Boston for two years, he was transferred to their subsidiary, Kendall Company in Athens, GA where he was named a senior cost accountant.
He worked for ten years as a senior accountant and controller for the Kendall Company. He continued his career there until he left for a position at Georgia Department of Community Affairs as a Senior Financial Consultant. There he concentrated on setting up and improving financial reporting system for local governments in Georgia. He wrote the “Full Cost Accounting Manual for Local Government/Landfilll.”
While in Athens, he was immersed in the community and was a founding member of Citizens for Better Government. This was a voter registration, education and mobilization organization. The organization worked to successfully help get the then first time political newcomer, Michael L. Thurmond, elected as the first African American elected to the State House of Representative in Athens, Georgia since Reconstruction. They worked to elect, Matthew “Fly” Ware as city councilman of the 1st ward in East Athens.
Matthew served as the Finance Chair of the City Council and Mayor Pro Tem while in office for four years. He was integral in helping to build the first elementary school in East Athens which is a predominately African American community and was instrumental in working to get Mr. Robert L. Brown of R.L. Brown & Associates, Inc. as the Architect for the project.
BUSINESS
Matthew started his own accounting and tax business in 1991. He and Noreen purchased an accounting franchise, Padgett Business Services. He was one of the first African American accountants to purchase the franchise. He successfully ran the business from 1991 until it was sold in 2015. He then started MW Tax & Business Consulting, LLC, which he successfully ran until October 2024. Matthew and Noreen built their own Professional Building in 1996 adeptly named “Ware Joint Professional Office.”
Matthew ran his accounting business which was housed in the professional office and Noreen ran her family law and probate practice, E.N. Banks-Ware Law Firm, LLC, out of the same professional building. The four thousand square feet building on a corner acre lot at the corner of Panola Road and Salem Road is a testament to his investment in the South DeKalb Community.
JOURNEY OF LOVE AND FAMILY
While also in Athens, he met the love of his life, E. Noreen Banks-Ware. They got engaged while she was attending law school at the University of Georgia School of Law and actually married on November 11, 1989, in the great city of Barnesville.
Matthew and Noreen moved from Athens to Lithonia, Georgia where they immediately started working in the community. Matthew continued his work in the Boys and Girls Club in Atlanta after working in the Boys and Girls Club of Athens. He became a big brother for two boys in 1989 and continued his mentorship of them until after the Olympics in 1996
Matthew and Noreen had their first child, Erin Camille Ware, in 1992 and their son, Joshua Matthew Ware in 1996.
Matthew loved and adored his children and poured into them by dedicating his life to their endeavors. He doted on Camille by taking her to dance, ensuring she went to her theater programs, volleyball, chorus, debate team and anything else she was involved in, including throwing elaborate birthday parties for her and pushing her to purse academic excellence prior to her graduating from Southwest DeKalb High School with honors and graduating from Howard University in 2014.
He also pushed her to pursue all of her dreams no matter how lofty a goal may have seen. Always happy and ever ready to tell friends and family of how proud he was of the endeavors his baby girl was pursing whether it be her running for President for her many organizations at school to her hosting her own radio show in college and so much more. He was most proud of her recent endeavor, following her mother footsteps to Law School.
He was especially excited to teach Joshua his favorite sport, Basketball. He indulged Josh in playing soccer, baseball, and football, but like his dad, Joshua settled on Basketball. Matthew coached Joshua from age 4 over at Lucious Sanders in Lithonia, coached him while he played AAU ball with Georgia Ballers East which he created with his lifelong friend, Rodney Walker, and other AAU teams through high school where Joshua played for the Tucker Tigers. He went on to attend Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, AL in 2014.
Matthew always sponsored children to play ball that did not have fees or uniforms and spent time taking the children he coached to tournaments all over the state of Georgia. He cooked for the kids and taught them to be respectable young men.
Matthew was well known in the Stone Mountain Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, Inc. where he amazed the mothers and the children with his famous chili, Gumbo, and his barbequing.
He coached Joshua and the other kids at Teen conference and was very involved Jack & Jill dad.
COMMUNITY INVOLVMENT & CHURCH
Matthew joined the 100 Black Men of America, DeKalb Chapter in 1996 and became the Financial-Treasurer of the DeKalb Chapter of the 100 Black Men of America from 1998-2009.
He was elected as President-Elect of 100 Black Men of America, DeKalb chapter in 2009 and served in that capacity until 2011. He was then elected as President of the 100 Black Men of America, DeKalb Chapter from 2011-2014.
He worked tirelessly with the chapter to mentor the youth in DeKalb County and raise scholarship funds through their signature fundraiser, Casino Royale for years by ensuring they would have amazing entertainment and as well has ensuring that they had significant corporate sponsorship for the signature fundraiser.
Matthew also was involved on a state level when he was named as a Board member of the Georgia Lottery Board for the State of Georgia where he served from 2000 to 2005. He is a past Chairman/Vice Chairman of Board of Directors Georgia Lottery.
In addition to joining the Lottery Board, he served at St. Paul A.M.E. Church upon he and Noreen joining what is now First St. Paul A.M.E. Eventually the church split and he was instrumental in establishing St. Paul A.M.E. Worship Center where he served faithfully on the Steward Board and the Finance committee.
FRIEND
Matthew was a best friend to many who can attest to him being lively, always having a good story, cooking amazing food and sometimes a joke or two. His friends are many and probably some are left out, but starting with his childhood best friends from Indianapolis, Indiana, he had his friends Jimmy Jackson, Steve Bond, Ronnie Horton, and Robert “Bob” Willis.
Then he had his Fisk brothers, Walter “Black” McGowan, Esq., Kit “Butter” Floyd, Jr., Dr. Les Richmond, Dr. Alvin “Stone” Griffin, Conrad “Rad” Whisenton, and Greg Coble.
Then he had his besties from Athens, Georgia, Michael L. Thurmond, Esq., Curtis Miller, Esq., and Keith Heard. He had his friends that he met in Lithonia and metro Atlanta, Rodney Walker who he spoke to daily, his friends from the business world and clients, Mr. Sonny Emory, Sean Ricks, Reginald Grimes, Art Roman and his girls, Sarita Myers, Patricia Chilsom, Renea Powell (Fisk), Bootsy (Fisk), Tammy Grimes, Shelia Payton, and his sister in-law Cheryl L. Banks.
He became a mentor and Uncle to the children of his best friends; Dr. Walter John McGowan, Lizzie McGowan, Esq., Dr. Cherica Richmond, Joya Richmond, Emanuel Richmond, Jessica Griffin, Demetrius Griffin, Mikaya Thurmond, Nigel Emory, Nicholas Emory, James Walker, Dr. Olydia Walker, R.W. Grimes, Justin Miller, Esq. and Wesley Miller.
To know Matthew was to instinctually love him. If you were blessed for him to call you his friend then you were actually family. He was warm, giving, generous and had a larger than life personality. With a fulfilling life well lived, he will truly be missed.
"His Lord said unto him, Well done thy good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of the Lord"
-Matthew 25:21
POEM TO MY HUSBAND
I found this poem on my husband’s phone.
“For greatness walked upon this earth, forever giving, and forever kind.
His spirit roared with life, never resting from the fight. The torch he carried and never dropped.
Upon is soul God’s hand divine, steadfast and courageous. God’s calling always heard. Roar into the light my warrior husband. God is waiting to grab your hand.”
Matthew was preceded in death by his parents, Paul C. Ware Sr. and Gussie Spearman Ware, siblings Paul C. Ware Jr., Nathaniel A. Ware (Myrena Ware), Charlotte Ware, Dorothy R. Davis, Spearman Ware, William Ware, Joseph Ware, Daniel Ware ( Beulah Ware), Robert Ware, Sarah Ware, Carmilla Brinkley (Roger Brinkley) and Janet Biven and grandson Hayden Matthew Ware.
He is survived by his beautiful wife Ezzie Noreen Banks-Ware, their children Erin Camille Ware and Joshua Matthew Ware, siblings Gussie Carter (Samuel Carter) and David Ware. He is also survived by many cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, close friends, and business associates.
Williams & Bluitt Funeral Home wishes to extend our heartfelt condolences to the Ware family and a sincere thank you for allowing us to serve you and your beloved Mr. Matthew Ware.
May God's blessings shower the Ware for eternity.
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