Obituary of Gertrude Winifred Lamb

Obituary for Winnie Lamb It is with sadness and love that we share Gertrude Winifred Lamb, Winnie, died on June 29th at Mercy Living Center with family and caring staff at her bedside. Winnie was born December 6, 1928 and was raised in Clintonville, NY. When she was 16 years old, she finished high school and arrived in Lake Placid to begin earning a living. She took a position at Ryan's Maple Leaf Boarding House on Hillcrest Avenue and was embraced by the Ryan/Fagan family. She was known to attend Rommer hockey games and travel to Nitze's for a Michigan. Winnie was courted by Vern Lamb and they married January 19, 1952, spending almost 60 years together until Vern passed on the first day of 2012. Throughout their marriage, they were both dedicated volunteers for many local, regional, national, and international organizations and shared their love of Lake Placid throughout the globe. Winnie had four children, Carol, Joe, Tracy, and Tom; nine grandchildren, Erin, Brian, Emelie, Erik, Tynan, Kaleigh, Colden, Jackson, and India; and seven great-grandchildren, Orion, Blake, Aurora, Breckin, Breyer, Chloe, and Forrest. She was generous with her time and really enjoyed sharing Christmas with all her family and a room overflowing with presents after ringing the bell for Salvation Army. While her children were young and in school, many mornings were spent with neighbors and other friends around her kitchen table sharing chats and coffee. One will never know all the problems of our community or the world that were solved during these "coffee clatches". Winnie was a helper and a doer. At most local food sales, one could find her famous apple pies or her hearty baked beans to enjoy. She worked tirelessly for local causes and spent many evenings in meetings for various local committees. Her children's love of sports and music meant that she was often found assisting with tasks to make sure performances or competitions came off without a hitch. Winnie's garden graced the family home on Hillcrest Avenue for decades. The bountiful summer blossoms served as a photo op for locals and visitors alike and even led to a few Lake Placid Garden Club awards. She loved flowers, especially gladiolus, phlox, and roses, and made sure she had a vase in her home year round. In the spring of 1966, when it became obvious that Vern, Joe, and Tracy would complete climbing the 46 peaks in the Adirondacks in late August, Winnie took to the High Peaks and found a passion for hiking. On August 20th, atop Algonquin Mountain on a gorgeous bluebird day surrounded by other climbing partners, the four of them became Adirondack 46ers! This organization became near and dear to Winnie's heart and she became an active supporter attending meetings and work groups for decades and serving as President from 1968-1970. During the 1974-75 school year, our family expanded to include a foreign exchange student. Ricardo Alvarez arrived from Mexico City to experience many firsts including attending a small, rural school; new sports; and snow and cold. Richardo has since visited Lake Placid numerous times and held Vern and Winnie in his heart. Sunday morning breakfasts were enjoyed by family, friends, and visitors for decades. Visiting relatives, friends met through organizations such as the Lions Club or the Nordic sports world would gather around the dining room table to spend an hour or two sharing a banquet of pancakes, crepes, bagels, muffins, and all the fixings amid laughter and conversations, some with those who spoke other languages. These mornings were always grand affairs and anyone who has ever attended will have stories to share. Later in life, Vern and Winnie would attend a later Mass then walk around Mirror Lake stopping to enjoy lunch on Main Street. They may have been spotted in a store or two. As their children aged and began their own families, travel and photography became activities Vern and Winnie thoroughly enjoyed. Travel opportunities initially revolved around Nordic competitions or Lions Club conventions and life-long friends were made around the world. One summer, they were joined by Winnie's sister, Betty, and her husband, Dave, and travel by car to famous sites all over America. The photos from attractions large and small hold memories from this special journey. When Winnie began showing signs of aging, a group of dedicated angels, also known as caregivers, joined our family to make Mom's life easier. We are forever grateful to each of them for sharing their gifts as she continued to live at home. In December of 2019, her needs led to her moving to Mercy Living Center in Tupper Lake. The staff fell in love with Winnie and cared for her with compassion. Thank you to each person who touched her life. Please join Winnie's family to celebrate a life well lived at M. B. Clark, Inc. Funeral Home on Wednesday, July 6th from 7 to 9 pm or her Funeral Mass at St. Agnes Church at 11 am on Thursday, July 7th. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to High Peaks Hospice or a charity of your choice. A gathering to share memories will begin at 12:30 pm Thursday at the Redneck Bistro on Saranac Avenue. Come join us, donning a hat! The M. B. Clark, Inc., Funeral Home in Lake Placid is in charge of arrangements. Please visit www.mbclarkfuneralhome.come to share a memory or leave condolences. .