of North Little Rock, AR
April 24, 1929 - January 24, 2015
Oran Coker Ham, 85, of North Little Rock passed away Saturday, January 24, 2015. Oran was born and raised in Goodett, Texas to the late David and Lorene Baker Ham. He was preceded in death by his parents; and his brother, Don Gay Ham.
In 1951 Oran joined the Air Force where he served 21 years as a navigator, pilot and bombardier. Aviation was very important in Oran's life. Following retirement Oran owned and operated North Little Rock Aviation on Remount Road for 20 years. He had a deep love of family and aviation.
Oran had the pleasure of raising six children. He loved and enjoyed
caring for his family and had many close friends.
He is survived by three sons, Dirk (Diane) Pearson of North Little Rock, Shawn (Sarah) Pearson of Dickinson, TX, and Kent (Amy) Pearson of Temecula, CA; three daughters, Kathleen Gustine of Phoenix, AZ, Glennera (Richard) McEwen of Sherwood, AR, Kristine (Albert) Barbaree of White Hall, AR; two sisters, Mamie Lois Belcher and Helen Snell; seventeen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; along with a host of other family and friends.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m., Tuesday, January 27, 2015 at Roller-Owens Funeral Home Chapel, 5509 John F. Kennedy Blvd. North Little Rock, AR, 72116 (501-791-7400. There will be a private entombment at Arkansas State Veteran's Cemetery.
I saw this in the Quanah paper. It saddened my heart deeply. So many good memories of our young days. I have thought of the family so often. You remember me as Joy Cokendolpher. Tommy spoke of Oran when he would come to Quanah and thought so highly of him. I only remember him as a teenager and neighbor. My love and sympathy goes out to your family. Mamie Lois and Helen, please contact me at ienjoymusic@sbcglobal,net. My love. Joy
Sorry for your loss. Ham will sure be missed. He was my neighbor and dear friend. I can still hear him when I 'd call him, "You don't have to tell me who this is, I know who you are!" We had so many good visits and I'll always remember them.
Few people had as much influence on my career in aviation as Mr Ham. He gave a 21 year old, over enthusiastic kid a job as a flight instructor in April of 1980 and kept me flying there for several years, until I finally joined up with an airline, and now, 20,000 + hours later I'm flying private jets. Thanks for the opportunity you gave me all those years ago. RIP Mr Ham, you were one of a kind and you will be missed.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Oran's family. Oran was a very good friend of my fathers, Ray Gage. They golfed together and like Oran my father was a pilot for many years. My son recently took a good friend of Oran's to visit him and my son (Daniel Little) and Oran talked about the golf games that Ray and Oran had over the years. Rest in Peace, Oran,
Sincerely, Sherry Little
I married into a brother in law who was more like a brother. A wonderful person and, like me, a career Air Force man. We enjoyed our golf together, two fair duffers who never worried about the score. My dear wife Lois and her brother had so much in common: devotion, generosity, loyalty and on and on. We will
both have emptier lives on this round but look forward to the reunion in the next life. We both loved you very much bother.
Please let me add my condolences to Oran's family. Oran was a friend of my mother, Rosemary and I looked forward to seeing and visiting with him during my visits with her. He was a real gentlemen! I'll miss the discussions about Porsche's, baseball and flying! Rest in peace!
Ham allowed me to work in the shop under Ron, Dale and Roy when my Line Services duties were done. Or as he put it "Gasboy". I am now Director of Maintenance with a private company operating Gulfstream's!!! If not for him and the guys in the shop I dont know where I would be today. I owe this man a giant thank you and wish I could have done it in person with a handshake. RIP.
I love the comments people have sent in, esp. from the 91 y.o. pilot. :-) Would love to meet him.
I can relate to service families, as my dad was career Air Force. He served in World War II, Korean War & Viet Nam War, so we traveled a bit. That's how I ended up in AR.
I'm glad Oran isn't suffering any more, but I sure do feel sad that he's gone. He was such a good friend & neighbor to my daughter & to my friend, Rosemary.
I served in the Air Force at the same time as Oran, We were stationed at Shilling Air Force base, Salina Kansas at the same time, He as a navigator on the B47 and I was a mechanic. He was a fine person.
Oran gave me my private pilot license check ride many, many years ago. He'll alway be remembered with great fondness.
Oran was such a good man one memory I have was we all had gone to the lake and he got on skies and I ask him after how old he was he said I'm only 77 I was stund he was awesome in my books and I'll see him again one day. My prayers are with his family at this time, there is such comfort when you know a man is with his savor.
I have been able to visit with Ham the last few years through a mutial friend.
He gave me my instrument instructdion in 1975. He told me a couple of years back
" he could not understand why a 55 year old guy would want to go through that tough training to get the rating." I guess he did not realize I had wanted to fly my whole life. I took my first lession when I was 53. Went on to fly all private for fun, and as a mission pilot for CAP. I gounded myself in 2012 with over 10,000 hours in the air at the age of 91. I was not getting to fly enough to stay proficient, so made the decission.
I will miss my visits with Ham. He was a great pilot , and an old friend..
Rest in Peace Uncle Oran. You have always been a part of my life & you always will. I will miss you terribly. I know that you are reunited with my father, your little brother & that you two are catching up. You were very special to a lot of people.
Everyone will miss this very nice man. I will miss seeing him sitting on his front porch, too. What a very handsome picture of him!
So sorry for your loss. A loss for everyone who knew him.
Kristine so sorry for the loss of your father. I pray you and your family have peace.
Some memories of my Grandpa: playing with my cousins in the den with the shag carpet and begging him to give us some flavored popcorn; getting up WAY earlier than I wanted so he could teach me how to play golf at Burns Park; and getting to drive some of the cool cars he always had on hand. Love you, Grandpa, we will miss you!
We are very sorry for your families loss. You are in our prayers. May God bring you peace and comfort.