Ernest Floyd "Son" Lamb, Jr.

Ernest Floyd Lamb, Jr. was born in Guion, Arkansas, on April 18, 1935. He was the third child, the first son of Hazel Bryant Lamb and Ernest Floyd Lamb, Sr. Being the first boy child, Ernest and Hazel called him "son", and as things often come to be, "Son" it became and "Son" it remains. Son and his brothers and sisters grew up on the White River—fishing, swimming, boating, skiing—Son told his grandchildren that he learned to ski on a boat paddle and could ski miles and miles on the river without ever falling or putting down his beer. Son has a couple of grandsons who play college baseball, he was so proud of them—he said their athletic talent came directly from him. He played baseball at Arkansas State Teachers' College for 288 days--he claimed he was told he was going there to play ball and was unaware that class attendance was required to play; and furthermore, had he been made aware, he would never have agreed to such. Others' memory of the situation differed, but regardless, Son went back to Guion and very shortly thereafter, joined the United States Army, where he served both stateside and in Germany. During his military career, he made lifelong friends, served with Elvis Presley, met lots of girls, and became somewhat fluent in conversational German. His linguistic proficiency seemed to be especially on point in specific conversations, and he enthusiastically and with great dramatic effect, shared his love of the German language, particularly the curse words, with his children and grandchildren. After completing his military service, Son returned to Izard County, and on January 25, 1963, he married Retha Hill Wyatt of Melbourne, whom he loved with every fiber of his being. His daily goal was to make her laugh; he never failed. Son and Retha shared many happy years together with their children, grandchildren, and their beloved Tippi, their most precious, adored, overweight dog, Son's constant companion. Son and Retha had many business interests in and around Izard County. He loved Melbourne, was proud to welcome newcomers, and LOVED supporting local businesses. He never failed to brag on hard workers and once he discovered the world of social media, he did so daily with his own special style. He was thrilled when new business ventures would locate in Melbourne, and would frequent those new establishments, buying what they were selling whether he needed it or not. Son always said his brothers and sisters were his best friends. The Lamb boys and their sisters were bonded by love and by the raising they received from Ernest and Hazel. The family--his parents, siblings, and later his wife, children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews--were his priority, his greatest joy, and his ever-present concern and worry. Son was by nature a worrier—he insisted that he be kept apprised of every move of his children and grandchildren—grandchildren whom, he claimed adamantly, belonged to him until the day he died. This was an especially accurate assessment was made very clear to Mara and Trey when there was a question as to whether said grandchildren might, for example, attend an overnight school function (no), go swimming in a group with someone else's parent (no), or ride from the gym to Papa's Little Rock house with a friend (hell no). He raised his children and grandchildren the way he was raised, as the absolute number one priority--so very valuable, so important, so vital and indispensable to him and to the Lamb family that their every move mattered. "I could never live one second without you," he told his kids every time they left his house. With this glorious unconditional love came an expectation from Son that his children and their children would show this love to others, do for others, comfort and protect others, stand up for others, respect and accept others. That way of life, that requirement for living as a Lamb, came from Ernest and Hazel, and Son Lamb never wavered from that. Son Lamb was welcomed to Heaven on October 25, 2022, by his mother and father, Hazel and Ernest Lamb; his sisters, Dorothy Lamb Dehls, Sue Lamb Reynolds; and his brother, Howard Keith Lamb. He is survived by his wife, Retha; their children, Mara Lamb Malcolm and husband Mark of Little Rock, Ernest Floyd Lamb, III "Trey" and wife Melissa of Melbourne; his brother, Fred Lamb and wife Janet of Guion; his sister-in-law, Jane Lamb of Mt. Pleasant; five grandchildren, Ernest Floyd Lamb IV "Chipper", Thomas Weaver Lamb, Callie Malcolm Lambert, Grace Hill Malcolm Charette and husband Justin, and Hazel Elizabeth Malcolm; tons of nephews, nieces, and friends, and of course, his precious Tippi. Memorials may be made to Ozarka College in Melbourne and Arkansas Children's Hospital.