Obituary of Hal William Lamb

Hal William Lamb Jr. died at age 93 on June 13, 2013, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He is survived by his wife, Eleanor Hill Lamb; his sons and daughters-in-law: Hal W. Lamb III and Lee, and Daniel S. Lamb and Toni; his stepchildren and spouses: Katherine Wilson Singleton and John, Dorothy Wilson Chappell and John B. Wilson Jr. and Ashley; 14 grandchildren and spouses: Bill and Wendy, Drew and Laurie, Karen and Tom, Rob and Mary Alice, Matthew, Aaron and Teri, Rachel and Patrick, Caroline and Luke, Jessie, Phil, Wade, Eleanor, John Thomas and Lucius; and 19 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Hal Sr. and Cecil Bobo Lamb; his sister, Betty Lamb Moudy; his brother, Daniel Lamb; his first wife, Eleanor Stafford Lamb; and his youngest son, Richard Lamb. He was also predeceased and is survived by many close nieces, nephews and in-laws. Born May 25, 1920, in Chattanooga, Hal was a member of "The Greatest Generation." A star football player at Central High School in Chattanooga, he accepted a scholarship to Georgia Tech in 1938. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, he entered the U.S. Army Air Corps. He married Eleanor S. Lamb in February of 1942. During World War II, he was a B-17 pilot based in Nuthampstead, England with the 8th Air Force. From there he flew bombing missions over Germany and France, including D-Day. After the war, he served in the Strategic Air Command flying B-52s. Ultimately reaching the rank of colonel, his final overseas assignment was in Brussels, Belgium with the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), the central command of NATO military forces. After 30 years of service, he retired from the U.S. Air Force in San Antonio in 1971. After 27 years of marriage, Eleanor S. Lamb died in 1969. In 1971, Hal married Eleanor Hill Wilson. They lived in San Antonio, and enjoyed many years of travel and memorable times with their large families and many friends. In 2004, they moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina to be closer to their children. Hal had a wonderful sense of humor, timeless wisdom, and an engaging, welcoming nature that put others at ease. He loved the outdoors, especially playing golf and fishing. Smart and a gifted communicator, he had a generous, caring heart, and was dearly loved by those close to him. Among many examples, Hal called his sister every morning during the final years of her life, something they both relished. We are grieved by his departure but strengthened by his life. Hal was a powerful force to those around him, and his spirit will forever remain part of our lives. The family would like to thank the doctors and others who cared for Hal these past years, and especially during the last months. Morning burial services are planned for October 26 in Dunlap, Tennessee, located in Hal's beloved Sequatchie Valley, with a memorial service afterward at Tom Faucette's farm in Dayton, Tennessee. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to the charity of your choice. On line condolences can be made to the Lamb family by visiting www.walkersfuneralservice.com.