Robert LAMB

1923 - 2020

LAMB, Robert H. "Bob" Robert H. Lamb "Bob", of Centerville, died peacefully at home on Friday, August 7, 2020, at age 96, after a short battle with cancer. Bob was born on December 31, 1923, in Boone, Iowa, the older of two sons of Ray and Helen (McColloum) Lamb. After graduating from Boone High School in 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Army where he served in the Army Air Corps in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He was a navigator /bombardier on a B-25 and flew on several combat missions. He was a proud member of the 38th Bomb Group, rising to the rank of lieutenant. Upon returning home from the war, he attended Iowa State College where he earned a Degree in Chemical Engineering. It was at Iowa State where he met the love of his life, Jean McDonald. Bob and Jean were married on September 1, 1948, beginning a beautiful 67 1/2 -year marriage that ended with Jean's death in 2016. They raised three sons and two daughters (as Bob put it, "Kings over queens is a full house in more ways than one"). Bob started his career at 3M Co. in 1949, and worked there for almost 38 years. His job started in St. Paul, Minnesota, then took him and his growing family to Seabrook, Maryland, and finally to Kettering, Ohio, in 1962. In 2003, Bob and Jean moved to St. Leonard Retirement Community in Centerville, where they lived the rest of their lives. Bob was an active member of Sugar Creek Presbyterian Church for over 55 years, serving on numerous committees and holding several leadership positions in the church over the years. One of Bob's passions was swimming, and he swam for many years in Senior Olympics meets, competing until age 89 and winning a number of medals at the National level. He impacted many people enrolled in the Dale Carnegie courses he taught. One of the great joys of his life was his involvement in the Dayton and Kettering Rotary Clubs. He met so many wonderful friends in Rotary, and he was proud of his perfect attendance at Rotary meetings for decades. He instilled in his kids his love of baseball, often planning family vacations around trips to various stadiums around the country and taking the boys to countless games at Crosley Field and Riverfront Stadium to watch the Reds. He was a lifelong fan of the Chicago Cubs, starting in 1932. He lived long enough to see his beloved Cubbies finally win the World Series in 2016. Bob was involved in every aspect of his children's lives, serving as PTA president, coaching each of his boys in Little League baseball, teaching the kids in Sunday School, and attending their sporting events, plays, concerts, and awards programs. Bob will be remembered for his charm, his sense of humor, his love of his country, and his strong faith in God. He will be cherished as a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and a loyal friend to many. Bob was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Jean; his brother, Bill, and his grandson, Ryan. He is survived by his sons, Kevin (Carol), Larry (Carole), and Chris (Lesly); his daughters, Jenni (Dale) Allard and Becky Lamb; his grandchildren, Courtney, Tony (fiancée Amy), Andy, Kaitlin, Ali, and David, and Ryan's widow Robin; and his great-grandchildren, Payton, Griffin, and Zooey. The family would like to send out special thanks to his dear friend and companion, Mary, his faithful caregivers from Home Instead (especially Susan and Cara who were with him the longest), the staff at St. Leonard, and the many great friends who visited him, called him, and provided transportation to and from church, Rotary meetings, and other events. Memorial contributions in Bob's name can be made to Sugar Creek Presbyterian Church, 4417 Bigger Rd., Kettering, OH 45440. Due to the COVID pandemic, a private service will be held for the family on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. with Pastor Amy Duiker officiating. The service will be live streamed (the link is https//youtu.be/YyWVuJ-XT8o). A larger Celebration of Life for all friends of Bob will be held at a later date, pending the end of the health crisis.