Virgil Jay Lamm, youngest son of Jay Lamm and Louisa Hofer Lamm, was born on a farm at Ramah, Colo., on March 8, 1920. He grew up there and attended school at Ramah for 11 years and graduated from Simla Union High School in Simla, Colo. During his middle school years, he attended church camp at Pinecrest, where he received a call to full time Christian ministry, which he followed for the rest of his life.
After High School he graduated from North Central College and Evangelical Theological Seminary, both in Naperville, Ill. On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22, 1945 he was married to Gladys Kupler of Waterloo. Iowa. Two sons, John and Joel, and two daughters, Linda and Marilyn, arrived to join the family.
His wife departed this life on Dec. 2, 1959. On April 16, 1961, he was united in marriage to Kathryn Best Stockbridge from Seattle, Wash., who had four children. After there marriage, they adopted all eight children, including Margaret, Vicki, Frank and Thomas Stockbridge.
Upon graduation from seminary Virgil began his pastoral ministry as follows: Daily-Rockland Evangelical Churches in Dailey and Rockland, Colo., 1945-52: Bethune-Stratton Evangelical Churches in Bethune and Stratton, Colo., 1952-64; Peetz Community Evangelical United Bethune Church, Peetz, Colo., 1964-70; The United Methodist Church, Wheatland, Wyom., 1978-87; Walsh United Methodist Church, Walsh, Colo., 1987-88 and Walsh-Two Buttes, Colo., 1988-90. After 45 years of ministry he retired to his home in Sugar City in 1990.
In 1982 Virgil was awarded the first Roadrunner award as outstanding minister of rural churches in the Rocky Mountain Conference. He was deeply committed to the concept of stewardship and his seminars on that subject were attended by many throughout the conference. He is survived by his wife, Kathryn sons, John (Kathy) and Joel (Keiko) daughters, Linda (Brad) Clark, Margaret Mahlman, Donna Carkeek, Vicki (Bob) Smith, and Marilyn Lamm; 18 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren; brother Milton Lamm, sister-in-law, Margaret Carner; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife; four half-brothers, Grover Lamm, John, Gideon and Walter Carner, and two sons, Frank and Thomas Lamm. Memorial may be made to United Methodist Church of Ordway. Visitation for family and friends was held Monday. Nov 29 from 5-7 p.m. at Griffy Family Funeral Chapel in Ordway. Arrangements by Griffy Family Funeral Home, Ordway.