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David E. Lamb

David E. Lamb, age 86 formerly of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania and Newark, Delaware died on March 7, 2019.

David was born in Skellytown, Texas and graduated from Pampa High School in Pampa, Texas. Upon graduation from high school David received a scholarship to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. David left home with his suitcase and travelled by train from Texas to Yale. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Yale University and went on to earn his Ph. D. Degree in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey.

David began his 36 year career at the University of Delaware as an Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering. He became an expert in Computer Science at the dawn of the computer era and was appointed Director of the Computing Center of the University of Delaware. He was the founder and Chairman of the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at the University of Delaware for several years. He supervised graduate research projects and presented papers around the world. David continued to teach as a Computer Science Professor until his retirement. In addition to his work at the University, David was in great demand as a computer consultant for government contractors and corporations. He acted as a consultant for Aberdeen Proving Ground, Sun Oil, Bethlehem Steel and many others.

David had a great appreciation of the arts, particularly classical music, dance and opera. He attended performances of many world class musicians, singers and dancers. He enjoyed visiting art museums locally and all over the world to view paintings, prints, sculptures and rare books. David’s other interests included researching and studying stars, planets and galaxies, driving his various cars and working on his John Deere tractor.

Dr. Lamb is survived by his wife Suzanne Stewart Lamb of Wilmington, Delaware, his five daughters: Leah Pugh (James) of West Grove, Pennsylvania, Marjorie Ruggles (Lyle) of Landenberg, Pennsylvania, Caroline Pugh (Peter) of Melrose, New York, Kathryn Kelly (Andrew) of Landenberg, Pennsylvania and Andrea Marcozzi (Michael) of Las Vegas, Nevada, and his eight grandchildren, Alexandra Quig, Emily Quig, Victoria Quig, Alexander Burns, Robert Burns, Jessica Burns, Dante Marcozzi and Alexander Marcozzi. He was preceded in death by his brother James Lamb and his parents Ernest Melvin Lamb and Leah Miriam Caldwell Lamb.

David’s family would like to express their deepest thanks to the staff at Newark Manor Nursing Home for the competent, attentive and compassionate care they provided to David and his family.

The family is planning a celebration of life at a later date.

Funeral Services

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Condolences

    Gary Sokola lit a candle and writes,
    Those of us who had the great fortune to study computer science at the University of Delaware in the good old days are greatly indebted to Professor Lamb, who built the department from the ground up at a time when it was probably hard to sell people on the cost of the resources that we weren't so dependent on at the time. He probably wished he had a nickel for every time he heard "do we really need this much?"
    03/13/2019 09:48 am
    Leon Wilson lit a candle and writes,
    David was a great friend and mentor. Both on campus at Smith Hall and off-campus at Round Hill, he was always encouraging, and passionate about science, technology, computing, music, art. and cars. I was always amazed at the many and varied interests that he had, and the wisdom that he was willing to share. We tinkered and joked into the wee hours of the night. "With a great mind, anything is possible!" I know he is smiling upon us all from heaven.
    03/15/2019 05:52 am
    Bob Rafeto writes,
    I remember Dr Lamb teaching CS171 to freshman in 1981. I remember his kind & gentle way that he had. He helped get my passion for computing started at UDel long ago.
    05/11/2019 01:09 pm
    Robert E Friedman BEE 1966 lit a candle and writes,
    I will never forget Dr. Lamb. I was a student in Electrical Engineering from 1961 to 1966. He gave me passion and inspiration in the computer field. I worked with computers my entire career, designing hardware and software. I took my first noncredit computer course under Dr. Lamb. He taught Intercom 500 which was a language for the Bendix G15 vacuum tube computer. I then worked for him in the computer center during the summer and off and on during the school year, integrating the two PACE analog computers. We both were Hi Fi buffs. He took me to his house once to see his Marantz Model 10B FM tuner and other components. I will never forget it. I have not seen Dr. Lamb in more than 50 years but I will never forget him and the effect he had on my entire life.
    07/01/2019 05:50 pm

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