Eula S. Lamb

Eula Stokely Lamb, a long-time teacher in Cocke County, died peacefully on Monday, January 18 at her home, surrounded by her family. She had battled Lewy Body Dementia courageously for several years. Eula Dene Stokely was born September 1930 in Del Rio, the second daughter of Vista Murray and Thomas J. Stokely. Her parents were long-time farmers, merchants, and community leaders in Del Rio, and she was surrounded by Stokely cousins. She grew up close to her two sisters, Imogene and Barbara Ann, and the three girls worked fields, milked cows, and "made garden" as if they were boys. She graduated from Cocke County High School in 1947, and attended Hiawassee College in Madisonville for a year before returning to teach the lower grades at Harmony Grove School, alongside Mrs. Mary Bell Smith. Together they launched the first hot lunch program. She returned to Hiwassee, earning an Associate's degree, and then came back to teach in the Del Rio community for a number of years. While teaching her first year at Harmony Grove, she eyed a dark haired, good-looking young man named Kevin Lamb. They wed September 5, 1954 and were married 61 years. He pre-deceased her November 29, 2015. She was the mother of three children: daughter Teresa Levey and her husband Dr. Robert Levey of Knoxville, TN; son Kevin W. Lamb and wife Donna of Newport; son, Dr. Russell Lamb and wife Jennifer of Hilton Head Island, SC; grandchildren Brandy Helton, Cory Helton and Lindsey, Katie Lamb and Maddie Lamb all of Knoxville, TN; Thomas Lamb and Caroline Lamb of Hilton Head Island, SC; and great grandchildren Ella Helton and Ava Faulkner. She is also survived by her sisters, Imogene Puckett of Loudon, TN and Barbara Ann Phillips of Simpsonville, SC and a host of nieces and nephews. "Mrs. Lamb," as she was known to generations of kindergarten and first-grade students, resumed teaching in 1965 after the birth of her third child. She taught a number of years at Del Rio elementary, before transferring to Northport Elementary School in 1969. She was one of the original faculty members at Northwest Elementary school, and taught there until her retirement in 1996. Her life was enriched by many wonderful friendships from Northwest Elementary. She applied love and discipline in equal measure. She handed out hugs freely, and over the years all children became "good little boys and girls" in her memory. Discipline was applied gently and always with love. At Christmas there were two presents for each child, wrapped. She delighted in teaching multiple generations of the same family. She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Newport, Tennessee for more than forty years, the Frances Wiley circle, and a long-time member of the Christian Fellowship Class. As long as possible she attended Sunday school, circle, and church services regularly. When her health made it impossible to attend church in recent years, she and her late-husband were blessed with countless visits from the members of the Christian Fellowship Sunday School class and the Frances Wiley Circle who brought food and conversation regularly and brightened many days. She was a member of the Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority and enjoyed attending meetings as long as possible. She was a dedicated mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She had a ready laugh for the antics of her grandchildren. Her grandchildren all have fond memories of "mammaw" sprawled on the floor playing dolls, blocks, cars, or guns. Over the last several months Kevin and Eula Lamb were lovingly cared for by Velma Fox, Teresa Proffitt, Ruth Anne Ramsey and Debbie Brown. The family wish to thank them all for their dedication over the past several months. In lieu of flowers the family request memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church of Newport Tennessee or the Cole Neuroscience Center at UT Medical Center (from which she received excellent treatment in recent years). The family will receive friends from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at the First United Methodist Church with funeral services following at 7:00 pm with Rev. Dr. James Bennington officiating. Burial will be held 2 p.m. Thursday, January 21, 2016 in Union Cemetery. Family and friends may sign the guest register on line at: www.manesfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Manes Funeral Home. EULOGY:I wanted to write a perfect Eulogy for mother today. I took my usual approach - I studied up on eulogies. I took an analytical approach. Then I sat down and just couldn't do it. I understand the assignment in the abstract, but in practice, I keep getting stuck at, "Let me tell you about my mom." So I asked friends for advice, some of whom have gone through the same thing recently. And I got some good advice, don't expect to make it perfect. And I realized that's why I was stuck. I wanted to tell you everything about mom. I'd love to tell you every wonderful thing I know about my mom, every time I saw my mother wrap her arms around a little boy or girl and tell them "I love you sweetheart. Be a good little girl." Or all the times I called at the end of my wits and mom would listen, and advise, and then tell us not to worry, it would be ok, everything would come out all right. And the times I saw my mom throw her arms around dad, "her man". And don't you forget it! Eula Dene Stokely Lamb - wife, mother teacher, friend. I can't tell you every good thing. I can't write the perfect eulogy. I'll fall short, I know. But it isn't necessary for me to recount every good thing here. Mother's life is her Eulogy. I hope everyone here has some of the special memories I do. But let me try to hit a high spot or two. First, Mom was wife. Mom and dad knew each other all their lives, but only started courting after she was grown and as he was finishing high school. Yes, mother was one of the original Cougars. We have the picture from Harmony Grove School to prove that dad married his teacher. But what a marriage it turned out to be. 61 years. It was love, right until the end. I remember when dad was on the road driving a truck, he'd come home late on a Thursday evening and mom would throw her arms around him and lay one on. These past two or three years as mom's mind and reason left her, the memories were sometimes all they had left. Mother never wanted dad to be out of her sight. It drove me nuts, until I realized that with dad at her side she felt truly safe, and without him she couldn't. They sat on the couch side by side and held hands, and watched reruns of the Waltons or Family Feud. And she still laid one on him from time to time. As dad lay dying in November a few weeks ago, my mom, not fully aware of the world around her anymore, realized that something was not right. She told us, I need to go to Kay. She mustered up all her strength to stand up at his bed, and in the clearest voice she had found in weeks, she told him, "If you can't stay here with me, you go on ahead, and I'll be there soon. I'll see you on Sunday." And so last Sunday, about 4 minutes before midnight, she made good. After all she never told him which Sunday. Out of that love came a family. First, she was blessed with a daughter, who became over the course of many years, and a couple of minor squabbles, in the end her trusted friend. And a few years later her middle child, for whom mother always shared a special space, knowing how difficult the middle child had it. And then accidently, a baby boy. Each of us could tell our own stories about mom, and I can't recount even a fraction here. But I know, as certain as I draw breath tonight, that mom loved each of us the same, and tried, hard, to make each of us know that. I saw her stand by my sister, my brother, and me, in disappointment, grief, celebration and joy. And she gloried in each grandchild, their accomplishments and their victories. If we each felt we had a special place in mom's

Eula S. Lamb

September 18, 1930 - January 18, 2016