Gus Carlton McHam III
Greenville Herald Banner
August 5, 2006
HOUSTON — Gus Carlton McHam III passed away July 28, 2006, at his home in Houston. He was born Feb. 24, 1939, in Greenville, the beloved son of Gus Carlton and Lola Lewis McHam. After graduating from Greenville High School in 1957, Mr. McHam received a B.A. in speech, East Texas State College; an M.A. in speech communication at The University of Texas at Austin; supervision certification, Prairie View A&M University; and instruction certification at The University of Texas at Austin. For the past 35 years, Mr. McHam dedicated his life to working with hearing- impaired children from infancy to 7 years to enable them to realize their full potential for listening, speaking and developing literacy skills before integration into the public school system. He is well known throughout the local, regional and statewide area as an educator, speaker, administrator and advocate. After military service, Gus began his career as an early intervention specialist and teacher at Callier Center for Communication Disorders in Dallas and held positions at Texas School for the Deaf, Austin; Houston School for Deaf Children; Cypress-Fairbanks ISD; Northwest Harris County Regional Day School Program for the Deaf; Brazoria-Fort Bend Regional Day School Program for the Deaf; Texas Education Agency; Alief ISD; Spring Branch ISD; and was administrative coordinator for special education at The Center for Hearing and Speech in Houston at the time of his death.
Through coordinating district, regional and state conferences, training early intervention specialists, and speaking in several states and in Canada, Gus earned the respect and friendship of his colleagues. The tribute he most treasured throughout his professional career was to hear from the children he had worked with as toddlers as they graduated from high school or college. Mr. McHam is survived by William B. Cranford, his partner; his sister and brother-in-law, Judith A. and Dan Davis, of Arlington; his brother and sister-in-law, David A. and Mary McHam, of Garland; nieces Julie Davis, Sally Chapman and Kelley Carlisle; a nephew, David A. McHam Jr.; grand-nephews Matthew Chapman and John McHam Carlisle; a grand-niece, Samantha Chapman; an aunt, Almeda Welch of Greenville; and treasured cousins. In addition, this gentle man, known from childhood as Skip, also leaves a host of friends, colleagues and hearing-impaired children and parents who considered him part of their family. The family suggests donations may be sent to The Center for Hearing and Speech, 3636 West Dallas, Houston, TX 77019, 713-523-3633. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Aug. 12, 2006, at the Unity Church of Christianity, 2929 Unity Drive, Houston, TX 77057, 713-782-4050.
Submitted by Elaine Nall Bay
