Gail Ann Ham

GARDINER – With the passing of Gail Ann Ham on Dec. 21, 2022, we lost a wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin, and good friend.

Gail was born in Worcester, Mass. on Nov. 13, 1940, the daughter of William Patrick and Emma Gertrude Sundberg McGrail. Gail was educated in the Gardiner school system graduating in 1959. She received her B.S. degree from the University of Southern Maine in 1963 and later her M.S. degree in Secondary Education from the University of Maine Orono in 1970. A resident of Gardiner, she worked as a language arts teacher at Gardiner Area Middle School starting in 1963 and for several years was the reading supervisor for MSAD II. Following her retirement from MSAD 11 in 1998 she worked as the reading supervisor in Somerville for an additional three years. During her career she was honored at the Blaine House as an Outstanding Educator of Maine, Gail was also honored for her service to the Maine Right to Read Commission, and she also helped in the development of a Maine history textbook which was used for years throughout the state.

A life long resident of Gardiner she took great interest and served on the Historic Preservations Committee as well as being an active member of Literacy Volunteers of America.

She married Gerald Ham in 1971 and enjoyed a full life of happiness for the remainder of her life. “ Summer was the best of all,” she said, “no matter what the activity”. She loved the magical calming nature of the ocean, in particular Pine Point beach in Scarborough. It is there that Gail and Gerry were married and returned often to walk in the surf then grab a good book to be read in her favorite beach chair. In later years the cottage in Monmouth became a wonderful retreat for four or five months of the year, where friends and family were always welcome.

Gail also became very involved with American Field Service as well as the International Field Service program, both of which brought exchange students from around the world to Gardiner. She had wonderful memories of students from Japan, Australia, Germany, Chile, Turkey, and New Zealand, the great majority of whom became life long friends. Her Gardiner home was often filled with laughter coming from different languages and cultures.

She is survived by her husband, Gerry; her daughter, Tammy Ham-Thompson and her immediate family from Hallowell, her granddaughter, Abigail Sirois and husband Austin, of West Gardiner; and many cousins throughout Maine and Massachusetts.

The Ham family would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Tavares and ALL of his team at Terrace West. They provided great comfort, professionalism, and kindness during her stay at Maine General Medical Center in Augusta.

We also would like to express our gratitude to the wonderful team at Androscoggin Hospice for their support.

A very special thanks go to our dear friend Judy and our granddaughter Abigail. They shouldered much of the medical responsibility in her transition from the hospital to home. Together with all of us, and Tammy we were able to offer great comfort for the last steps of her journey.

She was predeceased by her parents.

There will be a Celebration of Life and internment in the spring. Gail will be buried at the family plot in Oak Grove Cemetery in Gardiner. Arrangements are under the care of Staples Funeral Home in Gardiner.

In lieu of flowers,

donations may be made to:

Connie Ham Dineen Humanitarian Scholarship at Monmouth Academy

96 Academy Rd.

Monmouth, ME 04259