Colin Clement Ware was a consultant general and vascular surgeon to the Southend-on-Sea Hospital Group, Essex, from 1971 to 1992. He was born in Barking, East London, on 16 July 1932. His father, Albert Ware, was an electrical engineer, and his mother, Annie Jelley, had been employed in the Post Office. He was educated initially at South East Essex Technical College, and went on to King's College, London. He took a BSc in chemistry in 1954. He then did his medical training at the Westminster Hospital Medical School and qualified with his MB BS in 1962, when he was awarded the University of London gold medal in obstetrics. Colin Ware particularly enjoyed the surgical aspects of his studies and early training. After qualifying, his junior hospital posts included a period at St James' Hospital, Balham, which was at that time a widely acknowledged surgical training unit. He completed his FRCS in 1965. He subsequently became a lecturer in surgery at St Thomas' Hospital, and was then appointed as a senior registrar in surgery back at Westminster Hospital. In 1971, he was appointed as a consultant general surgeon to the Southend-on-Sea Hospital Group, where he had also previously served in a junior surgical post. Though appointed to Southend as a general surgeon, he soon developed a major special interest in vascular surgery, and became an acknowledged expert in the field, especially in the surgical management of aortic aneurysms. His other special interest was urological surgery, with which he was still able to continue after the appointment of a specialist urological surgeon to Southend. He was a very intelligent man, but also kind and gentle, and popular in his contacts with patients, colleagues and staff. Colin married Jean Marian Martin, who was also a medical practitioner, qualifying MB BS in 1957, one of the earliest female medical graduates from St Bartholomew's Hospital. She entered community medicine was a particular interest in family planning. Colin and Jean had four daughters, all of whom survived their parents: Helen and Elizabeth are both teachers, Marian trained in investment banking, and Judith trained as a physiotherapist. There are 14 grandchildren. Despite his busy life as a surgeon, Colin Ware was clearly a family man. He was a devoted father and grandfather. He was also a keen sailor, an interest he maintained since university days. He kept a yacht when he was at Southend, and taught his children to sail. As a member of the Thorpe Bay Yacht Club for many years, he was a regular race winner on the Thames Estuary. He eventually graduated to a 30ft sail cruiser, on which he took the family on trips across the Channel to France and the Low Countries, and one year competed in the Round the Island Race. He was also an enthusiastic hockey player at club level and for many years played for Southend and Benfleet Hockey Club. Colin was a committed Christian and drew great strength and inspiration from the local church community at Shoeburyness and Thorpe Bay Baptist Church near his home in Southend, serving as a deacon there for many years. Even with his heavy work schedule, he always made himself available for help and advice when needed. Jean and Colin were bound by a profound love and commitment to each other and she strongly supported him during the years of study and long working hours as a surgeon. In 1992, he took early retirement, and they moved from Southend to the village of Mickleton, near Chipping Camden in the Cotswolds. Being able to make friends easily and always alert to the needs of others, he soon established himself, serving various functions with the local Methodist Church. He became a volunteer community bus driver, and a volunteer with the National Trust at nearby Hidcote Gardens. Sadly, Jean's health began to decline and their roles reversed, and he cared for her for a number of years. In early 2016, Colin has a severe stroke. He recovered partially after a period of several weeks in rehabilitation but not sufficiently to return home alone, and he made his own decision to leave Mickleton and enter a care home in Oxford, near the home of one of his daughters. Jean had developed advanced Alzheimer's disease and had already been in a nursing home for over 10 years. With the assistance of friends and family, Colin made regular visits to Jean during the last six months of her life. Though she was virtually unresponsive, these visits seemed to benefit them both. Jean predeceased Colin by seven months in the spring of 2017. Colin died on 1 November 2017, aged 85.