Terald ‘Terry’ Lamb | The Gazette

TERALD REX LAMB

Cedar Rapids

Terald Rex Lamb “Terry” died Saturday, May 7, 2022, peacefully in his sleep. He was 88 years old.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Sheri Lamb.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley Lamb; son, Mark Lamb (Michelle); daughter, Lynne Lamb; and grandchildren, Nicholas Lamb and Natalie Berryman (Trevor).

Terry was born in Palisades, Colo. He attended Central High School in Clifton, Colo., and graduated from Mesa Junior College (now Colorado Mesa University) in May 1953.

He was sworn into the U.S. Air Force in August 1953. Terry served as transport pilot and was assigned to the 48th Air Transport Squadron (Heavy) in the 1502nd Air Transport Group (Heavy) of the 6486th Air Base Wing, based at Hickam Air Force Base, Honolulu, Hawaii. He served in one of four Military Air Transport Service (MATS) squadrons that supported the whole Pacific region. His first flight on a C-124 was with Captain Ralph D. Albertazzie, which he would meet again while working for Collins Radio. Ralph became President Richard Nixon’s pilot on Air Force 1.

Terry married Shirley, the love of his life, in a double wedding at the Officer’s Club at Hickam Air Force Base, Honolulu, Hawaii. Terry and Shirley celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in March of this year.

After serving in Hawaii at Hickam for three years, he was transferred to Strategic Air Command at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas, where he honorably separated in October 1958 after five-and-a-half years of active duty with the rank of Captain. Terry and family moved to Ames, Iowa, where he finished his education via the GI Bill at Iowa State and graduated with a degree in electrical engineering.

In the summer of 1960, Terry applied for and got a job at Collins Radio, where he worked for 25 years as an employee and 11 years as a consultant on contract. He started in design of autopilots, Doppler navigation and flight control systems. The engineering role included aerodynamic simulation, flight test, certification, regulatory liaison, as well as customer and manufacturing support. Some of the more significant projects included flight systems for Nixon’s Air Force 1 and the Lockheed L1011.

Volunteer work included serving on Rockwell Collins Volunteer Retirees, RCI Museum Club Board and as Docent, Arthur A. Collins Legacy Association Board and for 12 years with SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives). He served as Assistant Scout Master of Troop 89 in Marion and hiked Philmont Scout Ranch, Cimarron, N.M., in 1974. Terry has been a member of First Lutheran Church since 1961 and served on church council more than once and most recently on the Pipe Organ Committee.

Terry enjoyed woodworking, fishing, traveling the world with Shirley, and spending time at Potato Lake, Minn., with family and friends.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, May 16, at First Lutheran Church, 1000 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Lunch will be served after the memorial. The service will also be livestreamed: https://firstlutherancr.org/.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to: Arthur A. Collins Legacy Association, 690 Eastview Dr., Robins, IA 52328; and First Lutheran Church Pipe Organ Fund, 1000 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403.