Jerry Clint Ham passed from this world into eternal life with God on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in Fort Stockton, Texas. He was born in Lueders, Texas on February 6, 1930, to Austin and Effie Ham. Jerry was the fourth of seven children who grew up on a farm. He graduated from Lueders High School (Lueders University, as he called it) in 1948. He met the love of his life, Gaynell Petty in Lueders and married her on March 12, 1949. They shared 71 years of marriage before her death in 2020. Theirs was an admirable marriage and many doubted he’d last a month without her. He surprised them by living almost six more years, although he questioned why God kept him here.

Jerry worked in the oilfield for 51 years: on the drilling rigs, at gas plants, as a mud engineer, and finally as a consultant. Most of his adult life, he and his family lived in the same house in Fort Stockton, with short stints of work in California, New Mexico, Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle, but he always came back to Fort Stockton. Every time he saw an acquaintance, he had a joke to tell. He enjoyed watching sports on television, reading the daily newspaper, and working newspaper puzzles, especially crosswords. His sharp wit never left him.

Jerry was preceded in death by his wife Gaynell, parents Austin and Effie Ham, sister Opal Masters, brothers Orville, Don, John and Larry, his son Steve Ham, and grandchildren Scott Jamar, Kelton Mitchell, Jason Ham and Shannon Ham.

He is survived by sister Velma Quinty, son Dennis (Mary) of Grayford, TX, daughters Aggie Oldfield of Fort Stockton, TX and Kathy George (Cecil) of Hunt, TX., grandchildren Dottie Gerber, Paul Allen, Sally Orozco, Miki Mitchell, Matthew Moon, Mark Moon, Randy Ham, Sarah Deen, Nache Ham, Shaylyn Burnham, Shelby Flowers, James George, Ryan Lauderdale, Joseph Lauderdale and Clayton Lauderdale, several great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

At his request, there will be no service or memorial.