Ham’s living Memorial

By Nancy Covert

Even when it’s not raining it’s possible to find a rainbow overhead. This rainbow, however, is located inside, over the Children’s Corner at the Steilacoom Branch of Pierce County Library. Steilacoom Library is the oldest public library in the state, established in 1858—and one of Pierce County Library’s many branches.
In anticipation of the eagerly awaited opening of the new Steilacoom branch, dedicated in 1995, C. Hamilton Rideout began raising money in the community for Danae’s Children’s Corner in memory of his daughter.The following year, he established an endowment to provide funding for the Rideout Family Series, free, fun programs that the whole family would enjoy for years to come.

As time allowed Ham attended the programs to see the enjoyment of his young audience and their parents. At the conclusion of the program, he tells people about his daughter Danae and asks them to join him in Danae’s Children’s Corner, the children’s section of the library. He always said that his involvement with the library was one of the best things he’d ever done.  Ham often told the story about Danae’s short life, but he rarely spoke about his contributions to so many in the community.  While Ham loved his involvement with the Library, it was only one part of a very full life.    Ham had lived in Steilacoom since 1962, the same year that the State hosted Century 21, the Seattle’s World Fair.  It wasn’t long until he joined with others in Steilacoom to form the Community Club that grew into the Community Center, a hub for many of the town’s activities. He taught kayaking and cross-country skiing and was instrumental in the re-establishment of the Cub Scout Pack.   The annual canoe and kayak races that were a long-running part of the end-of-July salmon bake was another of his contributions.   In 2006, Ham published his memoir, “Fire Watch: A summer to be remembered at the Steilico Point and Badger Mountain lookouts.” The memoir tells about Ham’s own summer of ’42 as a junior lookout.

Proceeds from the book are earmarked for the Pierce County Library Foundation for Danae’s Children’s Corner at the Steilacoom Pierce County Library.  It's never too late," said the octogenarian author, “From the distance of almost a half-century, as I look back at my Lookout career in the Wenatchee National Forest and with the U.S. Marine Corps, I realize how many more stories there are yet to be told.”  Carole died in 2000 and Ham passed away on Nov. 14, 2011. A Memorial Service was held Jan. 14, 2012 at the Steilacoom Community Center where many acquaintances shared stories about Ham and his impact on their lives.

Note: contributions to the Pierce County Library Foundation can be made by contacting the Library’s Administrative Office at 253-548-3300 or by click the donate button on the Pierce County Library Foundation page.