Mildred Mary Lambe

LAMBE, Mildred Mary "Milly"
Kalamazoo, MI Passed away Monday, March 14, 2011 following a three month illness. Milly was born August 5, 1925 in Detroit, Michigan to Wilson Wylie Lamb born in Saltcoats, Scotland, and Mary Lydia Kay Lamb, born in Listowel, Ontario, Canada. Milly met her husband- to-be in a snowball fight with the boys next door when she was seven years old. The boys were up in a tree with armloads of snowballs, which they were throwing over the fence at Mildred and her younger brother, Jim. When the tree fighters' ammunition ran out, the older boy, Cameron, leaped from the tree down to the roof of a chicken coop in their yard for a fresh supply of snow. "Just like Tarzan," Mildred thought, and he became her hero for life. Mildred's parents and Cameron's parents, whose surname just happened to be Lambe with an e, became best friends, and so did Mildred and Jim with Cameron and his brother Don.
In 1936, Wilson died, and Lydia moved Mildred and Jim to Canada, where she returned to teaching high school in Southampton, Ontario, the first school that she taught in when she was nineteen. Mildred graduated from high school there and then went to work as a stenographer for the Canadian government in Ottawa. Mildred and Cameron wrote to each other and had brief visits during those years until they were married January 27, 1945, just before Cameron was sent overseas with the Canadian Army.
When World War II ended, Cameron and Mildred settled in the Detroit area while Cameron attended Wayne State University. Cameron James Ron, Wendy Christine, and Laurie Jeanne were born to them, and Mildred worked part time as a school secretary in Plymouth, Michigan. In 1962, they moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where Cameron was now teaching at Western Michigan University. Mildred, now Milly, thanks to the movie, "Thoroughly Modern Millie" began attending the University as a freshman. While taking classes, she worked in the Archives at Western, then the Kalamazoo Public Schools as a school librarian, and, upon completion of her Master's degree, taught at Western. The family traveled extensively, first tenting across the United States and Canada, and in later years, spending holidays in Scotland, Europe, the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, and Africa. Besides traveling, Milly enjoyed walking, swimming, reading and writing, mostly fiction and memoirs.
Milly and Cameron were married 66 years. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Cameron William Lambe, three children: Cameron Nicolina, Wendy Asmus Michael, and Laurie DeCoursey Chuck; Seven grandchildren: Scott Thompson Alyssa, and Kimberley Bishop Chris, Ryan Asmus, Cathy Andros Alex, Bryan Wilson Marysol, David Lambe Mandy, and Amy Wilson. She had twelve great grandchildren: Hannah and Makenna Thompson; Kyah, Kamryn, Lexi and Liza Andros; Alejandro Wilson; Reese and Bryce Lambe; and Hayley, Joshua, and Kristopher McGrath. Milly is also survived by her brother, James Lamb Sheila; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. A memorial service will be held 11 o'clock Saturday at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, 7028 Oakland Drive with Pastor Barry Petrucci officiating. Visitation will be 2-4 and 6-8pm Friday at the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Westside Chapel, 3926 South 9th St. and one hour prior to the service at the church. Graveside services will be held 2 o'clock Saturday in Central Portage Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, Portage Senior Center, or the West Michigan Cancer Center. The family wishes to thank the staff at The Springs and the third floor medical staff at Bronson Hospital North Pavilion, especially Dr. Pierce and the wonderful nursing staff for the excellent care that they gave Milly in her last days. www.langelands.com . 343-1508.