Richard Wendell "Dick" Ham

Richard Wendell “Dick” Ham, 79, of Richmond, retired Minister of Music, First Baptist Church, passed away early Tuesday morning, January 13, 2015.

Born in Louisville, the son of the late Terry W. and Loretta Alexander Ham, he was baptized into the fellowship of the Ninth & O Baptist Church in 1944.

He graduated from Louisville Male High School in 1953 and from Campbellsville Junior College in 1955, a school that later honored him with a Distinguished Alumni Award. He entered Georgetown College in the fall of 1955 and married Nancie Truman of Owensboro on August 18, 1956. He graduated from Georgetown with a Bachelor’s Degree in 1958. While in College, Dick served part-time at churches in Winchester and Ashland, Kentucky.

In January of 1958, he became full-time Minister of Music at Walnut Street Baptist Church in Owensboro. He entered Southern Baptist Seminary, School of Church Music in the fall of 1959 and in the fall of 1961 he became the Minister of Music at Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington. In the spring of 1966, he moved to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where he served at First Baptist Church. In 1968, he moved to Nashville, TN, where he served as Consultant of Church Music to the Baptist Sunday School Board, a position he held for 15 years.  

Dick loved working with people of all ages but especially the youth.

While in Tennessee, he led the Tennessee Baptist All-State Chorus on numerous occasions and later established the Kentucky Baptist All-State Chorus of which he directed as well.

In November of 1983, he was called to serve as Minister of Music of The First Baptist Church of Richmond. During his tenure at First Baptist Church, Richmond, he was involved in music programs locally and around the state and nation.    

Following his retirement in 2000, Dick remained active in church music and other activities as well. He was elected Second Vice-President of The Kentucky Baptist Convention. In the entire history of the KBC, he was the only Minister of Music to be nominated for a top office. He served as interim Music Director at churches in Frankfort, Lexington, Corbin and Williamsburg, Kentucky.  He served as an ambassador for Georgetown College and was also an associate of the Combs, Parsons & Collins Funeral Home, a position he treasured very much.

He also was a columnist for the Senior Page of the Richmond Register.

He had received many honors and achievements during his life-time. He authored three books and composed several pieces of music. He had received the “Musician of Note” award in 2000 from the Kentucky Baptist Music Conference and as recently as September 2014 had received The Eugene Quinn Lifetime achievement award from the Conference, as well.  He was awarded the Honorary Kentucky Colonel not from one, but two governors, Gov. Combs and Gov. Fletcher.

Survivors include his wife of fifty-eight years: Nancie Truman Ham; two daughters: Terry Beth Ham and Wendy Sue Ham; one brother: David Walter Ham (Nancy) and their two daughters: Lorie Barber (Allen) and Christie Woodard (Tracy); a brother-in-law: Art Truman (Judy) and their two sons: Chip Truman (Lucy) and Dan Truman (Shawna) as well as great nieces and nephews.

Memorial Contributions may be made to The Dick Ham Music Scholarship Fund, C/O Clear Creek Baptist Bible College, 300 Clear Creek Road, Pineville, KY. 40977.

The Combs, Parsons & Collins Funeral Home, Richmond and Patton Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.    

  Visitation: 
• Thursday, January 15, 2015 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM EST
  The First Baptist Church, 425 Eastern Bypass, Richmond, KY  Service:
• Friday, January 16, 2015 at 1:00 PM EST
  The First Baptist Church, 425 Eastern Bypass, Richmond, KY • Saturday, January 17, 2015 at 2:00 PM CST
  Graveside Service at Alexander Family Cemetery, Brownsville, KY 

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