Richard Webster "Dick" Ham

Richard Webster Ham – 95, of North Reading, MA, husband of the late Joleen Glidden, passed away on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at his home in North Reading, MA.

Dick was born in Winchester, Massachusetts on June 8, 1930 to Robert and Priscilla (Webster) Ham. He graduated from Reading High School in 1948. In 1952 he became a very proud graduate of Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. He frequently reminisced about his Bowdoin friends, fraternity brothers and faculty and enjoyed visiting the campus to see how it had changed over the years.

Dick taught foreign language at Reading Memorial High School for nearly 40 years, and continued as a substitute teacher for many years following his "retirement" in the early 90's. He is still fondly remembered by many of his former students. Dick was a long-time member of the Union Congregational Church in North Reading and was part of the church choir, House Committee and the Care Committee at various times. He always looked forward to the annual Christmas fair and treating his eldest daughter to a lobster roll, a tradition begun by his late wife, Joleen.

Dick loved spending his summers at Chewonki Campground in Wiscasset, ME where he and his family camped for over 50 years. Other campers and the owners looked forward to seeing Dick every year, and vice versa.

Dick was much loved and will be sorely missed by his children, Deborah Ham of Peabody, MA; David W. Ham of Merrimack, NH; and Elizabeth V. "Betsey" Driscoll and her husband Raymond of Dracut, MA. He is also survived by four grandchildren, four great-grandsons, his brother David F. Ham and his wife Barbara of North Reading, and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dick's memory to the Bowdoin College Alumni Fund, Bowdoin College, 4100 College Station Brunswick, ME 04011-8432 or the Union Congregational Church, 148 Haverhill Street, North Reading, MA 01864.

A private family memorial service will be held at a later date.