William Joel Ham Jr. died peacefully at his home on November 29, 2018 in Barnesville, Georgia at the age of 89. He was born in Monroe County, Georgia on July 25, 1929 to the late William Joel (Joe) Ham and Frances Darden Ham.
Mr. Ham grew up in Forsyth, Georgia and attended Mary Persons High School. As a youth he worked for his uncle James Darden in his grocery store and played football for the MP Bulldogs under coach Jim “Slick” Mitchell. After high school Mr. Ham joined the Navy, and served as an aerial photographer on the Coral Sea and the Oriskany, aircraft carriers, for four years. He left the service to work for his uncle’s car dealership in Pembroke, Georgia, and it was there that he met Freida Speir. Bill and Freida were married on July 17, 1955.
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