Dorothy Sue Parks Lamb, 78, of Petersburg, Tenn., died in Nashville on July 15, 2025.  She faced a lengthy cancer treatment with resilience before finding peace during a brief hospice stay, attended by loved ones.

Dorothy was born in Fayetteville in 1946 to the late Robert and Thelma Parks. The Parks subsequently moved to Alabama, where their daughter Donna Ruth was born. They then settled in Fayetteville and welcomed their youngest, Lucye, into their lives. Dorothy graduated from Central High School in 1965 and majored in Elementary Education at Memphis State University, graduating in 1970. While attending college there, she met the love of her life and future husband of 40 years, Jack H. Lamb. They married in 1971 and continued their educational and professional journeys together. 

Dorothy and Jack had their first child, Robert, in 1978, followed by Lucye in 1981. When Jack took a dental position with Grenfell Regional Health, the family moved to a remote posting in Newfoundland, Canada. There, the family enjoyed outdoor winter life and a host of Canadian and international friends. It was there, in Newfoundland, that they welcomed their third child into the world, Allison, in 1986. They returned to Tennessee after that, first to Jack’s hometown of Paris, Tenn. and finally to Fayetteville.   

Dorothy was a devoted mother to her children and “Ganny” to her two grandchildren. She encouraged Robert, Lucye and Allison to explore all manner of musical classes, sports, extracurricular activities and travel opportunities. Not all of these stuck (none of them can play the piano), but the children were richer for the exposure, helping to shape the adults they would become. As a grandmother, Dorothy showered her grandkids with love. Her oldest grandchild, Sebastian, was fortunate enough to enjoy several summers of crafts and activities at “Camp Ganny.” Dorothy cherished her precious time with baby Jack. Jack was born last August and named in honor of Dorothy’s late husband. 

To many, Dorothy was best known as a devoted teacher. Her chosen profession saw her instruct elementary students as part of the Title I reading program and high school students as part of the Upward Bound program in the early to mid-1970s. She worked as an interim and substitute elementary teacher in Paris, Tenn. Upon her return to Fayetteville in 1992, she secured a job at Ralph Askins Elementary School, where she taught Kindergarten for the next 25 years.

Dorothy took great pride in her time as a kindergarten teacher, eventually teaching the children of many of her former students. She counted her fellow teachers among her closest friends and held a special reverence for her own teachers. She even kept a detailed list of her own first-through-eighth-grade teachers among her personal effects. She retired in 2017 after a combined 37-year teaching career that saw her teach for school systems in Smyrna, Memphis, Murfreesboro, Paris and Fayetteville. 

In her retirement, Dorothy enjoyed quality time with her family, taking domestic and international excursions with her children and members of her extended family. For her, this was a lifelong ambition. She visited the Holy Land in Israel, the ruins of the Parthenon in Greece, and ancient Stonehenge. She enjoyed beaches from Florida to Hawaii, the wilds of Canada, the green vistas of Ireland and the American Southwest – among many other travels. She also enjoyed cross stitch, cooking and various local religious and social clubs.  

Dorothy was preceded in death by Jack, who passed in 2011. She is survived by son Robert Lamb, his wife Bonnie and their child Sebastian of Atlanta, Ga; daughter Lucye Lamb of Petersburg; and daughter Allison Kegley, her husband Kyle and their baby Jack of Mt. Juliet, Tenn. She is also survived by sister Donna Ruth Campbell of Springdale. Ark., sister Lucye Durham and her husband Ralph of Gallatin, Tenn., sister-in-law Patsy Redmon, nieces and nephews Leigh Bentley; Matthew Durham; Kristin Brown and her husband Jared; Clayton Campbell and his wife Amanda; and Alex Durham – as well as family friend Father Bede Price and numerous grand nieces and nephews. 

Dorothy was filled by God’s love and compassion. She devoted herself to Bible study in her retirement and drew strength from God’s promise of eternal peace. In reflecting on her life, Dorothy stressed that she had accomplished everything she sought from a full and faithful mortal existence. In the words of John the Apostle, through her faith she had life, and she had it in abundance. 

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 21, 2025, at Higgins Funeral Home with the Reverend Tommy Vann officiating. Burial will follow in Cedar Hills Memorial Gardens. Visitation with the family will be from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 20, 2025, at Higgins.

Memorial donations may be made to Fayetteville First United Methodist Church, 200 Elk Ave North, Fayetteville, TN 37334 for the Notables ministry as well as restoration of the church organ.

Higgins Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Dorothy Sue Parks Lamb.