Theodore Lamb

Dr. Theodore Lamb died on July 4th, 2026, leaving behind a life defined by courage, curiosity, and compassion.

Born in the aftermath of WWII, Ted spent his youth living on Air Force bases around the world. Some of his fondest childhood memories were from the time his family spent stationed in the Azores. As a young man, Ted dropped out of the University of Alabama to hurtle across the country with his best friend in a little Austin-Healey sportscar. Living out of their car, crashing on couches with their minds full of the proverbs and hymns of the Beatniks, they arrived at the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1967 to draft notices. He served as a Sergeant in the 1st Battalion, 8th Light Infantry Regiment, 4th I.D. in Vietnam. His experiences in combat shaped a man who believed in peace, practiced Buddhism, and questioned authority.

After returning home from war, he earned a B.A. and an M.A. at the University of Alabama. Compelled to understand his experiences, he earned a Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of Tennessee. He spent decades teaching college, conducting research, and working as an evaluator. In his career, he conducted research on groups, systems, science education, testosterone, and moral injury. He was proud to serve as an assistant dean at Naropa University.

No man ever steps in the same river twice. In 1993, he returned to the U.S. Air Force Academy as a visiting professor. Later, he traveled to Kabul, Afghanistan to conduct research for USAID to help communities recover in the wake of war. Ted believed in justice as a shared wound.

In his private life, Ted was thoughtful, erudite, and deeply curious about the world around him. He loved science fiction, B-movies, and toting his family to the beach. A scholar to his final days, his shelves were filled with eclectic and well-worn books. We do not know if he dreamed of androids and electric sheep, but he believed, above all else, that what connects us is much greater than what divides us.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Eugene Lamb, and Syble Rebecca (Avery) Lamb. He is survived by his wife of nearly 33 years, Michelle Slattery; his children, Thomas Lamb, Brenna Conger (Larry), Rainer Lamb (Jaryd Corliss), and Keric Lamb (Anna Jaunarajs); his grandchildren, William, Kiera, Kylin, and Vonn; sister Marsha Lamb (Jim Myers); nieces, nephews, extended family members, former students, colleagues, dear friends, and his collections of college mugs and garden gnomes.

For those who wish to attend, there will be a memorial service on July 23rd at 10 a.m. at the Pikes Peak National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the general scholarship fund at Naropa University. Roll Tide.