Kay Lamb

On Thursday February 3, 2022, Kay Lamb of Fort Worth, Texas passed away after a life well-lived and well-loved by so many who knew her. Much of her life was devoted to helping others, from the poor, the homeless, the infirm and those who struggled with life’s complications. It didn’t matter to her if the recipients of her care were humans or God’s four-legged or winged creatures, her heart reached out to them all.

The oldest child of Chilton Allen Campbell and Mattie Lou Rittenberry, Kay was born in Dallas, Texas and spent the first 19 years of her life in the family home in Cockrell Hill, Texas. She was a graduate of Sunset High School in Dallas. While in Dallas she worked at a number of vocations until the birth of her son, Bruce. She was involved in sales at Robert Halls, became a florist for a period of time that engendered her love of anything that grew from the soil and sold ad space in the Yellow Pages for “Ma Bell.”

She and her 8 year old son, Bruce, moved to Fort Worth in 1973 to start a new life and it was there that she met her husband-to-be, Dan. In February of 1975, after a whirlwind courtship, they were married and the three of them settled into a 47-year life together.

Her new life brought her new opportunities to grow. She became a legal secretary for Fort Worth Attorney, Jim Lane. It was the beginning of a 40-plus-year relationship with the law. During that time she worked for the Western Company of North America as a Certified Legal Assistant, one of the first in the state of Texas. She always said that working for Western was the best job and the most fun she ever had because of the wonderful people and the challenge of working in the “oil patch.” With the demise of Western she finished her working career with the Whitaker-Chalk Law firm in Fort Worth. Kay retired from full time work in 1999 and immediately turned her attention to her true calling of helping others. She volunteered tirelessly in her hometown of Benbrook, Texas to help save the lives of countless stray and abandoned animals. Working with 4 Paws, a dedicated group of locals, she became the “cat lady” who rescued, doctored, fed and worked with PetSmart to get 4 Paws cats and dogs adopted into good homes. Those animals that could not be placed often found their forever place to live in Kay’s own home. Much of her newfound time was spent with the Tarrant Area Food Bank, learning and working in their kitchens. While volunteering with the Food Bank, she found that she could join her love of gardening with the TAFB Community Gardening programs. Through her connections with the Glass House, she volunteered to help build a TAFB Community Garden on the Ridglea Christian Church property.

It is often said that “God works in mysterious ways.” The RCC and Food Bank partnership showed Kay a way that she could help even more people who were in need. She and her family joined the church at Ridglea. At RCC Kay became a member of the Outreach Committee which opened the door for her to become involved in far more service projects than she ever imagined. She began working in programs at the church that helped feed the hungry, provide service to the homeless and assist immigrants settling into their new homes. As she would say time and again, “It is our duty to be the hands and feet of God here on Earth.”

Kay was preceded in death by her father, Chilton Allen Campbell, Sr.; mother, Mattie Lou (Rittenberry) Campbell; brothers, William Dale Campbell and Chilton Allen Campbell, Jr.

She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Dan Lamb of Fort Worth; son, Bruce Ray Davis of Fort Worth; daughter, Marni Lamb White (Dane) of Stephenville; granddaughters, Lindsay Taylor White of Waxahachie and Peyton Nicole White of Stephenville; sister-in-law, Linda Campbell of Tulsa, Oklahoma; and nieces, Jessica Ollis (Chris) of Springfield Missouri and Allison Campbell of Tulsa, Oklahoma; sister-in-law, Betty Lamb of Rockport; and nieces, Kassia Jamison (Marc) of Spring Branch and Colin Gaido (Chris) of Georgetown; as well as many cousins and loyal friends of many years.

In lieu of flowers the family ask that you consider a memorial gift to the Outreach Ministry at Ridglea Christian Church of Fort Worth, Meals on Wheels of Greater Tarrant County or a charity of your own choosing.