Joseph Keene Lamb Sr.

Joseph Keene Lamb, Sr., (“Big Daddy”) peacefully passed away on May 27, 2024 at his home in Ave Maria, Florida surrounded by his family at the age of 82. He was born on September 3, 1941 to Lewis Joseph Lamb and Agnes Bowie in Washington, D.C.

He graduated from Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, MD in 1961 and served in the Army National Guard of the District of Columbia from 1962 to 1965. In August 1965 he married Mary Josephine Copsey (1944-2019) and they started a family with the birth of Joseph K. Lamb Jr. in 1966 and William B. Lamb in 1972. He worked at the Washington Gas Company from 1964 to 1974. At the Gas Company, he met his best friend Dennis W. Miller and would enjoy many years of cherished memories between the Lamb & Miller families.

In 1961, he began working as a laborer for his older brother’s roofing business in Silver Spring, MD. (Richard Bowie Lamb). In 1974, he moved his family from Clinton, Maryland to Davie, Florida and purchased a roofing company (R&J Roofing) in partnership with his older brother Richard. In 1983, he opened a second branch of the business in Boca Raton, Florida (R&J Roofing of Boca Raton) where it operated until 1997.

In 2003, he was remarried to Mary Lou Paponetti and moved to Asheville, North Carolina in 2009. He became a devout member of St. Margaret Mary’s Catholic Church in Swannanoa, North Carolina where he continued to develop a strong faith in the Lord.

He loved all things Washington DC – history, food, culture & sports. As an avid sports fan of all DC teams, he was a season ticket holder of the Washington Redskins from 1967 – 2013 and watched the Washington Senators at Griffith stadium as a young boy.

As a father, he spent numerous hours at the ball fields either coaching or watching his sons’ football, baseball & soccer games & practices.

Once he learned to play golf, he spent a good majority of his time in the 1990s on the golf course and traveling to all the golf hot spots including Pebble Beach, Hilton Head etc.

Never one to pass up a good laugh, Big Daddy’s humor was infectious, and his good nature came with a penchant for looking on the bright side of things. At any moment, he could bob his head to a song on the radio or make an off-color comment about someone’s wardrobe.

He loved gatherings of friends and family for dinners on football Sundays, birthdays, sporting events, holidays (especially Christmas parties with the Copsey & Miller families) and any festive event. The happiest times of his life were the birth of his grandchildren Melissa Kari Fulks and Joseph K. Lamb III and watching them grow into the fine adults they are today. Before he passed away, his beloved Granddaughter gave him the news that he was going to be a Great Grandfather to which he replied “Maybe I’ll stick around!”

Joe Lamb “Big Daddy” will live on in our hearts and minds forever. He wouldn’t want us to be sad that he’s gone. Instead, he would want us to have another plate and sing a few verses of “Hail to the Redskins”. He would want us to celebrate the long, full life that he lived – a life filled with loving family, good friends, good times and loud laughter. He will be missed!!

Joe Lamb is survived by his wife Mary Lou Lamb of Ave Maria, FL; sons Joseph K. Lamb, Jr. of Naples, FL and William B. Lamb of Centreville, VA; daughter-in-law Bethany R. Lamb of Naples, FL; brother Richard B. Lamb of Hollywood, FL; grandchildren Melissa Kari Fulks and Joseph K. Lamb, III both of Naples, FL; nephew Richard B. Lamb, Jr. of Naples, FL; niece Debbie Lynn Latella of Ojai, CA; nephew Matthew Copsey of Falls Church, VA; nephew Christopher Copsey of Washington,D.C.; nephew Michael Copsey of Sumerduck, VA; dear family friend Gina Diliberto of Mount Dora, Florida; Godson Corey Diliberto of Mount Dora, Florida.

A Memorial Mass will be held on Wednesday September 11, 2024 at 10am at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 102 Andrews Place Swannanoa, NC 28778. The Mass will be followed by inurnment in the Church Columbarium.