Ham, Jane, 1919-

Jane Ham was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1919. She received her B.A. in Fine Arts from Ohio State University and did post-graduate work in aeronautical engineering at the University of Minnesota. She married Charles W. Ham and the couple resided in Ohio until 1955, when they moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where Charles worked as a dealer at the Desert Inn. The Hams settled into their home in Paradise Valley, and during the next few years, Jane Ham went to business school, gave birth to three children, and served as a volunteer in numerous organizations. Ham's political activities included membership in the Clark County Republican Central Committee, precinct captain, 2nd vice chairman of the Clark County GOP Central Committee, Deputy Registrar of Voters, columnist and cartoonist for the GOpaper, and other positions with the national, state, and county Republican Women. Alarmed when her property tax bill increased over 60% in 1978, Ham researched the tax issues and the record of her assemblyman and decided to seek the District 16 Assembly seat. Defeated in her first attempt, she ran again - this time successfully - in 1980. Ham served three terms in the Nevada assembly - 1981, 1983, and 1985. She considered the 1985 session the most productive when Republicans gained a majority in the Assembly. According to Ham, her crowning achievement was a bipartisan organization of women's legislators. Ham continued to reside in Las Vegas in 1995.