Community Corner

Former Democratic State Rep. Gail Hamm Dies at 62

The East Hampton resident, who served her hometown, Haddam and Middletown in Hartford for years, was lauded for her decades of work in the community and humanitarianism.

Gail Hamm, former Democratic member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, has passed away. 

Connecticut Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey (D-Hamden) on Thursday remembered Hamm, 62, who represented the state's 34th District from 1999 to 2013, as a caring, compassionate person.

“Gail earned a reputation for her dedication to her constituents in her hometown of East Hampton, and in Middletown and Haddam, as well as her tireless work on behalf of improving the lives of all children throughout the state. She was a friend and colleague, and will be missed and remembered fondly.”           

Connecticut State Rep. Matt Lesser (D-100th) announced the news at 11 a.m. on his Twitter feed. “Gail was a friend and mentor and deeply devoted to the welfare of children in Connecticut. I will miss her and extend my deepest condolences to her family,” Lesser said.

Last June, The Middlesex Coalition for Children inducted Hamm into its Children’s Champions Hall of Fame. 

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In February, Hamm was also honored at the Humanitarian Awards Program for the Eastern Connecticut District (23-C) of Lions Clubs International.

In April, the East Hampton Village Lions chose Hamm as the recipient of East Hampton’s 2013 Citizen of the Year Award for her decades of service to the community and state. Hamm served on the Democratic Town Committee and various town boards in East Hampton.  

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In 1991, Hamm, an attorney by trade, was elected to the East Hampton Board of Education. She was chair of their Personnel Committee where she shared her time and legal talents helping the town negotiate all union contracts. She served as chair of the Board of Education from 1995-1998. 

During the Rotary’s polio eradication initiative, both Gail and her husband Alan spent Thanksgiving 2006 in Niger.

According to Vote Smart, Hamm, who was born in Hillsdale, Mich., earned her law degree from Valparaiso University in 1978 and bachelor's in English and interpersonal communication/political science from Western Michigan University in 1973.


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