Larry D. LAMB, the son of Loren and Ruth (POTTROFF) LAMB, was born in Mount Ayr, Iowa on July 1, 1940. He grew up with his two brothers, Ronald and Douglas, on the east side of Mount Ayr along highway 169. Loren owned and operated a bait and gun shop from the family home and was a mechanic for Ames Cross. On Larry's 12th birthday, his brother Douglas died in a swimming accident.

After his 12th birthday, Larry began working for "Butch" HARDY at the United Grocery store located on the east side of the square. Two years later, Larry worked at the West End Market.

After graduating from Mount Ayr High School, Larry enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was honorably discharged in 1963.

Larry remained in California and worked as a meat cutter. Larry was transferred to Burlington, Iowa, where he worked for Lucky Foods. He gained managerial experience when Lucky Foods was bought out by Eagle Stores. He later transferred to the Des Moines area.

In 1970, Larry accepted a position as the manager of the newly opened Casey's Store in Altoona, Iowa. This was the sixth store opened by the fledgling company which combined a grocery store with a gas station, forming a convenience store. In the years that followed, both of the LAMB brothers, Ronald and Larry, worked in setting up Casey's Stores.

While traveling the State of Iowa for Casey's, Larry met and married his wife Sandy in 1979, making their home in Urbandale.

Sandy traveled a multi-state area, training and developing managers for Glenby International Chain of Hair Salons.

Larry's responsibilities grew to the supervision of 400 Casey's corporate stores with seven district managers and over 2,000 full and part-time employees in Iowa, Missouri, and South Dakota.

A cardiologist discovered that Larry had developed two bad heart valves in 1987. After 19 years with Casey's, Larry LAMB retired at the age of 49 years.

Larry spent two years traveling the United States in his new Itasca motor home, often including his parents in his travels.

After Loren's death in 2001, Larry and his mother toured England, hiring a local driver to escort them around.

Larry's involvement with Mount Ayr include converting the old Southside Tavern into Peggy Sue's, a remodeled 1950's retro cafe; remodeling the interior of the Princess Theatre; the construction of the Lamb's Quarters on the southeast side of town; and a 12-unit apartment building.

SOURCE: FETTY, Jack. Rings of Gold Pp. 58-61. Palindrome Pub. Co. Iowa. 2007.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2010