Howard (‘Bud’ to family and friends) passed away on January 12, 2022 in Leonardtown, MD. He was born on August 3, 1943 in Florida, and grew up in a Navy family that traveled up and down the east coast from Maine to Florida and into Tennessee. He and his brother Ken attended nine different schools during that time, as his mom and dad were adventurers. That spirit became part of Howard’s DNA. He was always ready to travel, go hunting or fishing, or sight-seeing. Everything amazed him.
When landing in St. Mary’s at age 15, he entered Great Mills High School, playing varsity basketball, baseball, & soccer while running cross country and track. His classmates voted him ‘Most Likely To Succeed’ as a senior.
He attended St. Mary’s College for two years, making treasured life-long friendships that remained until his dying day, before transferring to Carson-Newman College in TN.
An engineer at heart, Howard moved to Washington DC to work for a top engineering firm and used this background to become a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army in the Army Corps of Engineers after enlisting on Dec 17, 1966. Howard graduated number one in his class of recruits, heading for Vietnam in 1967 to become a ‘Tunnel Rat,’ exhibiting enormous courage, for which he was decorated with a Bronze Star. He briefed General Abrams and other high-ranking officers when they came to inspect his unit and received hand-written compliments and praise from the General for this perilous duty.
Before leaving for Vietnam, Howard met the true love of his life, Sandi Cain, in the boarding house they both rented rooms in, where the proprietor of the house, a lovely motherly woman, wisely directed Howard to ask Sandi on a date. Upon returning from Vietnam, he and Sandi married on Dec 7, 1968. He was honorably discharged as a Captain on Dec 8, 1969.
After working in DC on the new subway system for a few years, his adventurous spirit led them back to St. Mary’s to raise three daughters, and enter the family business, the TACKLE BOX, working beside his father and brother, running the gun department.
He and Sandi built two houses on the water, raising their daughters (Irene, Sara & Melissa) in the best possible way: crabbing, fishing, chopping wood, camping, bagging fish, and adventuring. He transitioned back to engineering work as a facilities planner at Pax River and then onto the DEA, his most important professional work, establishing spy-proof offices in Central/South America & Asia.
In his retirement, he spent his time traveling in the RV with Sandi and visiting with children and grandchildren. He was an avid reader and storyteller, and he loved taking his grandchildren out on the boat in Florida.
Howard’s most important living legacy was his family and friends, whom he fiercely loved, celebrated, and truly treasured. To know Howard was to know his care and concern for you. It was just that simple. No matter who you were, you were loved by him. And this is what we will all miss the most.
Howard was preceded in death by his father, Howard O. Lamb Sr., and his mother, Lena (Mace) Lamb. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Sandra (Cain) Lamb, as well as his brother Ken Lamb (Linda), children Irene Lamb (Bill Sembello), Sara Cooper (Steve), and Melissa Lamb Leary (Sam). His 16 grandchildren carry his love in their hearts, as do his beloved nieces and nephews in Texas, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.
Howard was moved by the work of ‘Tunnel to Towers Foundation’ (T2T.org or 2361 Hylan Blvd. Staten Island, NY 10306), and we would deeply appreciate your support of this veteran organization, in his honor, in lieu of flowers.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, January 18, 2022 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD, where a funeral service will be held at 7:00 PM. Interment will be private.
Condolences may be made to the family at www.mgfh.com. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home and Cremation Services, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.
