Jewel Ware, Longtime Wayne County Commissioner, Dies At 66

WAYNE COUNTY, MI — Wayne County Commission Vice-Chair Pro Tempore Jewel Ware, the longest serving member of the county's current commission, died Tuesday morning, county officials said. She was 66.

Those who worked alongside Ware described her as a trusted member of county's board of commissioners and said her knowledge of county government was "immeasurable."

“The Wayne County Commission family is devastated by the sudden passing of Jewel Ware this morning," County Commission Chair Alisha Bell said. "Members often referred to her as the dean of the commission and I was proud to nominate her as commission chair pro-tem during her most recent term, her 13th since being elected to the Commission in 1994. She was always a proud advocate for issues involving her beloved seniors and also was a strong supporter of programs aiding young people in the community."

Ware represented the county's 2nd District, which includes downtown Detroit. According to her county biography, Ware, a former commission chair, also served on the commission’s Economic Development Committee and was vice-chair of the Committee on Public Services and Special Committee on the Criminal Justice Complex.

It was Ware who, in the past year, sponsored a resolution calling for a ban on chokeholds and restraint by police in using deadly force in the wake of the death of George Floyd and other unarmed civilians, according to her biography. That resolution was later unanimously adopted by the commission.

Ware also was responsible for establishing the commission office of policy research and analysis to review of county contracts and operations. She was also involved in initiates including the Mittens and Socks Winter Drive for Children and cleanup programs sponsored by the Midtown Alliance.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan on Tuesday said Ware was a "dear friend and trusted advisor."

"Jewel was my friend and colleague for 30 years, going back to her first time as Wayne County Commissioner and eventually Commission Chair," Duggan said. "Throughout her career, she was a tireless advocate for the seniors in our community and always committed to good government. I've never seen a public official so deeply connected to her constituents and the community she served so well."