Stephen A. Ham-Ellis Essex Jct. Stephen Andrew Ham-Ellis, 26, passed away Friday December 27, 2013 at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington. He was born on June 10, 1987 in Methuen, MA son of S. Christopher and Cheryl Ham-Ellis. Stephen attended grade school in Palatine, IL and Plano, TX. At the age of 10 Stephen moved to Vermont where he fell in love with the beauty and challenge of its mountains, lakes and streams. His favorite places included Indian Brook Reservoir, Huntington Gorge, and many locations along Lake Champlain. While in high school he enjoyed the camaraderie of team sports first in soccer, then in varsity lacrosse. Stephen was a graduate of Essex Junction High School, Class of 2006. Stephen then attended UVM, where his main course of study was in Recreation Management. His desire was to have a career in ski resort management. During this time he enjoyed course trips to St. Lucia where he helped prepare and plant a vegetable garden for local elementary school children and to Sun Valley, where he learned Avalanche control in the back country. His studies also had him participating in a Button Bay State Park beautification project with other classmates. Upon completion of his course study, Stephen was proud to receive his Bachelor Of Science Diploma in the summer of 2011. Stephen became an avid and advanced skier and, while a member of the Smuggler’s Notch Ski Club, had a chance to train on the glacier at Mt. Hood in Washington. His passion for skiing took him on trips out west which included Whistler, Big Sky, and the Utah Resorts. Back in Vermont, he and his ski friends were equally at home on the toughest terrain and glades on Madonna, at Stowe, and in the Slidebrook Basin at Sugarbush. His love of the environment and the outdoors led him to work periodically for Northern Lights Leadership and Challenge Course. Off the slopes Stephen was a fan of the Boston Red Sox and Celtics as well as the New England Patriots and had the chance to attend several games. At home, Stephen loved to listen to a broad variety of music, watch good movies with friends and family, and play around with his bass guitar. Stephen had a kind heart and a peaceful soul and he will be greatly missed by all who new and loved him. Stephen is survived by his parents Chris and Cheryl Ham-Ellis of Essex Jct.; his sister Melissa Ham-Ellis of Burlington; his brother Matthew Ham-Ellis and Matthew’s wife Emily and newborn daughter Macomber Lake of Bristol; maternal grandparents John and Ann Ellis of Ocala, FL; step Grandmother Louise Ham of Portland, ME; Uncle John Ham and his wife Aunt Susan of Scarborough, ME; Aunt Loren Ellis of Ocala, FL; Aunt Catherine Eujon of Belfast, ME; his cousins and their families Victoria, Mark, Shelby Dahms of Scarborough, ME; Pricilla, Sal, Olivia and Rocco Arnone of Boca Raton, FL; and Priscilla's Mother, Diane Plath, her Stepfather Joe Plath and their children Ian and Garrett. Stephen was predeceased by his paternal grandparents Eunice and John Ham, Jr. and his Uncle John F. Ellis, Jr. Visiting hours will be held on Friday January 3, 2014 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at A. W. Rich Funeral Home – Essex Chapel, 57 Main St., Essex Jct., VT 05452. The memorial service and inurnment will be private and at the convenience of the family. Memorial contributions in Stephen’s memory may be made to NAMI Vermont (www.namivt.org), 162 South Main St., Waterbury VT 05676, The Howard Center, (www.howardcenter.org), 208 Flynn Ave. Suite 3J, Burlington, VT 05401, or a charity of your choice. The family invites you to share your memories and online condolences by visiting www.awrfh.com.