Frances “Fran” Lamb passed away peacefully on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, surrounded by her family. Fran was born on June 5, 1940, in Fabius, N.Y., to the late Joseph Shawl and Harriett Burdick. Fran is predeceased by her husband, Fordyce “Ford” Lamb. Surviving are her sister, Elizabeth (Donald) Smith; her children, Mary (Kevin) Lamb DeMayo, Michael (Anne) and Steven (Sandra) Lamb; her grandchildren, Matthew (Sarah) Saucier, Heather (Jim) Walsh, Derek (Corine) Lamb and Jonathan Lamb; her great-grandchildren Jack and Charlie Walsh, and Ford Joseph Lamb, cousins and many nieces and nephews.
After graduating from Fayetteville-Manlius High School, Fran worked as a teller at Marine Midland Bank, and subsequently at General Electric in Syracuse. She married Ford in 1962 and moved to Cazenovia. She left the full-time work force to become a mother who never missed supporting and cheering on her children at all their events.
She volunteered at the church and in the community, was a talented wood-worker and amateur photographer for family and friends’ parties. When her children were older, she resumed her career as a bookkeeper for Willow Bank Yacht Club in Cazenovia, United Radio Service/BeepCall, and finally for Johnny Appleseed Furniture in Erieville, where she worked for over 20 years.
Fran was an avid golfer who belonged to the Cazenovia Golf Club with Ford for over 50 years. She was a member of the SWDGA, CGC women’s club champion multiple times and instituted a women’s Tuesday night league. She was a strong advocate for women’s rights on the golf course and lobbied for, and won, the right for women to tee off before noon on weekends and was the first woman elected to the board of directors. She also spent countless volunteer hours beautifying the golf course with flowers, flower beds and planters.
Fran is remembered by family and friends as the life of the party and most often the party organizer. She made friends wherever she went, and people often commented that she always had a smile and lively conversation. Her final wishes are for all to attend a party after her funeral mass and reminisce about the good times.
A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, at St. James Catholic Church, 6 Green St., Cazenovia, and can be viewed online at youtube.com/@st.jameschurchcazenoviany2292. Private burial will be in White Chapel Memory Gardens at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association CNY Chapter, 5015 Campuswood Drive, Suite 102, East Syracuse, NY 13057 or Cazenovia Volunteer Ambulance Corp. (CAVAC), 106 Nelson St., Cazenovia, NY 13035.
Condolences for the family may be left at michaelebrownfuneralservices.com.
