HAMILTON, Harry (Ham)

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ December 24, 2007 Harry "Ham" Hamilton of Linden, formerly of Pinetop-Lakeside, died Dec. 17, 2007, after battling a heart condition for the past few years. Ham was born in Baltimore, Md., one of five children. He graduated from Gardena High School in Gardena, Calif., and then served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. Ham worked as a pressman for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, the Alco Gravure and other newspaper media companies in the Los Angeles area for 32 years before moving to the Pinetop-Lakeside area in 1977. For the next 25 years, Ham was the friendly face at the Nip 'N' Tuck liquor store in Pinetop. Ham also served in the White Mountains Sheriff's Posse doing both aerial and snowmobile searches and rescues and was one of the original charter members of the White Mountain Snowmobile Club. Ham married his lifelong sweetheart Betty in 1954, and the couple had three children. Ham loved living in the White Mountains and boating on Lake Powell and was a person who always lived life to the fullest. Ham had a robust sense of humor, loved country music from the 1940s and 1950s and could make or fix anything. After retirement, Ham concentrated on keeping his and his friends' boats in "ship shape," building the couple's new home and toy barn in Linden, winning at cribbage and poker and spending time with his lovely wife, Betty, their young grandson, Nicholas, and Maggie the dog. Ham is survived by his wife of 53 years, Betty; his three sons, David, Robert and Ronald; three grandsons, Jason, Ryan and Nicholas; his sister, Evelyn Green of Drumright, Okla., and special daughter Janice. A special memorial service will be held on Lake Powell during the 2008 boating season. Please send memorial donations to the Humane Society of the White Mountains, P.O. Box 909, Lakeside, AZ 85929.