David Ham

A Vision of My Life

David Ham (aka Johnnie) was born on April 8, 1936, in Freehold, New Jersey, to two loving parents, Walter Sr. and Lillian B. (Bryant) Ham.  Johnnie entered his eternal rest on Saturday, May 10, 2025.  He was a loving father to two daughters, Joan and Donna; a son, John (Rusty); and a stepson, Kevin. Johnnie had two brothers and six sisters, Marion, Katherine, Walter Jr., Joseph, Lillie, Leona, Wilma and Sally Anne.  His sister Lillie was his best friend and companion.  Johnnie was also a devoted uncle, godfather, and friend.  He also served as a Chaplain for the Masons. Johnnie was a lifelong member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, attending both Bethel A.M.E. Church in Freehold and Grant Chapel in Trenton, NJ.

At age 14 years old, Johnnie started to plan his life.  In the summer 1950, he met three military police from Fort Monmouth. They were Donald's cousins, Al Hawkins, and Bill Johnson.  Johnnie was so impressed by these men, that he wanted to become a military policeman.  In 1958, he entered military police training in July which was completed in September at Fort Gordon in Georgia.  Later that same year, Johnnie completed training to become a Medical Corpsman at Fort Sam Houston, Texas and began a career as a military police officer and medic. Following his training he was stationed in Berlin, Germany where he met his future bride, Johanna Strauss, a union that bore three children.  He also joined the National Guard in 1961 and served until his retirement in 1985.

In 1964, Johnnie was accepted into and completed a training program at Fort Bragg, NC which earned him the equivalent of a two-year nursing degree.  In 1967, he began his civilian law enforcement career as a Corrections Officer at Rahway State Prison and a Special Police for Freehold Borough.  In February 1973, Johnnie was transferred from Corrections to the Human Services Police Department.  In 1982, he petitioned the NJ State Board and was awarded a Practical Nursing License. 

In preparing for his own Homegoing, Johnnie wrote:

I feel I am one of the successful people in achieving my goals in life.

I feel all I have to do to complete my life is to see the Kingdom of Heaven.

Then my vision will be complete.

Johnnie was predeceased by his daughter, Donna Jean; his granddaughter, Donna Jeffara (and her infant son); his siblings; and his companion of 30 years, LuAlice Davis. He leaves to cherish his memory, his daughter Joan (Kip) Drewry; his son, John (Rusty) Ham; and stepson Kevin Davis; his grandchildren, Kimberly Langert, Jeremy Drewry, Willie Demar (Cita) Lynn, David Rashun Lynn, Ron Joseph Ham, and Johanna Chenoah Ham; 12 great-grandchildren; three Godchildren, Torna Brown-Bell, Nicole Bohannon, and Walter David Greason; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, and friends. 

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