   J.W. Ham, Sr. was born Wednesday, August 19, 1931 in Tom Bean, Texas, son of Lonnie and Jessie Perkins Ham and suddenly passed away on Thursday, February 20, 2014 in Plano, Texas at the age of 82. The son of sharecroppers, J.W. was raised in Tom Bean working on the family farm. J.W. enlisted in the U.S. Army from 1951-1956 and was honorably discharged as Sergeant. He then came back home and worked for Burlington for several years and later opened 3 gas stations in Howe that he co-owned/managed. Several years later he went to west Texas and worked for American Cotton Growers where he met and married Frances Harris on February 6, 1978 at Littlefield. The next day the newlyweds came to Howe to make their home, and J.W. went to work for Hitchcock. In recent years, J.W. filled his time by going to flea markets which he raised and sold poultry. He enjoyed helping any of the grandchildren with showing their animals for FFA. He was very involved with the VFW and loved the outdoors. His greatest joy was being with all his family and grandkids. Mr. Ham was preceded in death by his parents; siblings, Spurgeon Hickman; James Ham; Billy Joe Ham; Jerry Wayne Ham; Patsy Goldston; Sarah Mae Ham; and Pearl Pttman. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Frances of Dorchester; son, J.W. Ham, Jr. and wife, Carol, of Howe; daughter, Sheila Wilson and husband, Johnny, of Monroe, Georgia; daughter, Michele McDonald of Amarillo; daughter, Darla Krapf and husband, John, of Howe; son, John Ham of Dorchester; daughter, Catherine Terry and husband, Steven, of Denton; son, Orville Haynes and wife, Christy, of Dorchester; daughter, Emma Young of Dumas; son, Dale Haynes and wife, Gala, of Denison; daughter, Lisa Watson and husband, Brent, of Gunter; and son, Charles Ham of Howe; 30 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; brother, Bobby Ray Ham and wife, Rosa, of Tom Bean; sister, Imogene Henshaw and husband, Wilburn, of Arlington; brother, Altis Dewayne Ham and wife, Ginger, of Dorchester; brother-in-law, Loy Goldston; sister-in-law, Laray Ham; numerous nieces and nephews, and close cousins. Services to celebrate J.W.'s life were held Monday afternoon, February 24, 2014 at Waldo Funeral Home chapel with Pastor Dennis Stewart officiating. Interment followed at White Mound Cemetery near Tom Bean, with grandsons serving as active pallbearers and honorary pallbearers. Mr. Ham was one of the founding fathers of the Howe Fire Station and with utmost respect, the procession will be lead with a fire truck to his final resting place. - - - Waldo Funeral Home   Frances Ann Ham, beloved Mother, left this earth on January 12, 2021 to join her loved ones in her Heavenly home. Frances was born July 19, 1942 in Pinckneyville, Illinois, daughter of Raymond C. Harris, and her Mom and Dad, Katherine and Arthur Scherle. After finishing her education, she married Orville Haynes and together they had 6 children. In the latter part of the 1960s the family moved to the western part of Texas, eventually settling in the city of Littlefield where both worked for The American Cotton Growers Textile Industry. Mr. Haynes fell ill and passed away in 1977 leaving Frances alone, trying to provide for the family. Somehow while trying to work every hour they had available for her, she met and married J.W. Ham, Sr., who would become the True Love of Her Life. J.W. had 5 children of his own and all the events that took place over the next several decades could have become a Made for TV Movie. Not long after getting married, the newly joined Ham-Haynes Clan moved to the small town of Dorchester. Frances enjoyed spending time with her new husband and getting to know her new family. She loved attending football games, FFA shows, and so many functions that her own children and then later on her grandchildren enjoyed. You'll find her in lots of pictures standing proudly beside her children's graduation, then the graduations of her children's children and then later on as each married off, Frances and her husband would always be by their children's sides. Whether that kid had the last name of Haynes or Ham, they were HER kids, her son, her daughter, a family motto could read like this...."the only STEPS were those leading up to their front porch!" There were no stepsons or daughters to either Frances or J.W. But that attitude also expanded to those kids that grew up in and around the town of Dorchester, Any and all were welcomed if they stepped up to their porch. In their first years together the family hosted family BBQs almost weekly during the day with board games and laughter around the table on those weekend nights. There were even some nights that J.W. would have to go to work only to find Frances and some of the kids still playing games from an all night session. She truly loved being with and around her family. As the kids grew up and moved on, Frances' time was filled as an active and life member of the local VFW. Then, as her husband got to the age where he couldn't work much, she became an employee of Walmart where she spent more than two decades as a dedicated member of that Team. Her later years were mostly in and around the Pharmacy and she had many customers and other members of the Walnut Team that considered her as a friend. She was such a familiar face that she will be missed in this area. Frances' large family alone has hundreds grieving her loss, but there are so many of hers that knew her from her days at her job and all those folks she has met both through J.W. and by raising those kids, the numbers missing her are simply too numerous. Frances was preceded in death by her parents; first husband, Mr. Orville Haynes, Sr.; the love of her life, J.W.; brother and sisters, Mary Lee, Clem, and Sharon; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Spurgeon Hickman; James, Billy Joe, Dola, Jerry Wayne, Bobby Ray, Rosa and Sarah May, all Hams; Patsy Goldston and Pearl Pittman. She is survived by her sons and daughters: J.W. Ham, Jr. and wife, Carol, of Howe; Sheila Wilson and husband, Johnny, of Monroe, Georgia; Michelle McDonald and husband, Danny Erwin, of Amarillo; Darla Krapf and husband, John, of Howe; John Ham of Dorchester; Catherine Terry and husband, Steven, of Denison; Orville Haynes and wife, Christy, of Dorchester; Emma Young and husband, Ricky McMinn, of Dumas; Dale Haynes and wife, Gala, of Sherman; Lisa Watson and husband, Brent, of Gunter; and Charles Ham of Howe. There's more grandkids and great-grandkids and even some great-great-grandkids than one could even list; brothers, Raymond, Mike and Alan Harris; and sisters, Patty Graham; Melba Flowers; and Diana Woodside; sister-in-law, Imogene Henshaw and husband, Wilburn, of Arlington; brother-in-law, Altis Dewayne Ham and wife, Ginger, of Dorchester; brother-in-law, Loy Goldston of Whitesboro; and many nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends who consider themselves family. Services to celebrate Frances' life were held Saturday morning, January 16, 2021 in Waldo Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Dennis Stewart officiating and J.W. Ham, Jr. speaking on behalf of all of her kids. Interment followed at White Mound Cemetery where the cute chick will once again be beside her old crow. - - - Waldo Funeral Home White Mound Cemetery Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |