Merle Lamb Obituary (1914 - 2017)

Merle Lamb passed away peacefully on March 7, 2017 at the age of 102. Born on October 5, 1914, in Mystic, Iowa, to Harley and Jennie Matherly, Merle grew up in Valley Junction (West Des Moines), and graduated from Valley High School in 1932. Upon graduation, Merle worked at Great Western Insurance Company and later at Business Men's Insurance Company in Des Moines during the great depression years to earn enough money to attend college. She met her future husband, Dr. Glen Lamb, at a Methodist youth conference in Des Moines, and later enrolled at Simpson College in Indianola where Glen was a theology student. They were married in 1941 and upon Glen's graduation moved to Massachusetts where Glen attended seminary in Boston. This meant that Merle had to leave Simpson College early. It was a difficult decision because she truly wanted to finish her degree at Simpson, but the call of the church was far more important to both of them and her strong faith in God got her through this transition. She was deeply honored when Simpson College President, Dr. Jay Simmons, presented her with her college degree (photo above) on her 100th birthday. While working as an administrative assistant for the church and the local high school in Massachusetts, Merle supported her church congregation as the minister's wife during difficult war times, while Glen commuted daily to Boston. During this three-year period in Massachusetts, she gave birth to twins Myra and Laura, both of whom died shortly after delivery, and to a daughter, Alice. Merle and Glen moved back to Iowa to serve the Macedonia Methodist in 1945, where two sons, Richard and Donald were born. Over the next 40 years, she served at Grace United Methodist in Des Moines, First United Methodist in Indianola, First United Methodist Church in Marion, and Fairfield Bay Methodist Church in Arkansas. Throughout Merle's life, her strong faith in Christ was reveled through her loving heart and deep caring for others, touching so many and defining her life. All of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren remember her for her unconditional love, the joy she brought to their lives, and the fun they have shared together. Merle was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Glen, her brother, Ray, her sister, Mabel, her daughters, Myra and Laura, and her son, Richard. Survivors include her daughter, Alice Gray and husband Bill of Carlisle, Iowa, her son, Don Lamb and wife Sue of Austin, Texas, her grandchildren Jeff Keil and wife Debbie, Chris Keil and wife Angela, Scott Lamb and wife Kim, Michael Keil and wife Rebekah, Kristin Wolters and husband John, and nine great grandchildren. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 AM on March 16, 2017 at First United Methodist Church in Indianola, Iowa. A visitation will begin at 9:00 AM prior to services. The family requests that memorials be sent to the Glen and Merle Lamb Scholarship Endowment at Simpson College.