Mary Edith Lamm

Mary was born in Philadelphia, PA in 1940, to her parents, Marie Rose Gladys Briden (nee Houle) and Xavier Lehmann Briden. She was the youngest of four siblings, Robert, Louise, and Elizabeth. Her early years were spent in Philadelphia and Clinton, MA, with her family, before they settled in Northern Virginia. Her father was a first-generation immigrant from the Alsace-Lorraine region of France. While Mary may have only been “half Alsatian”, she always considered herself “fully Alsatian”, and took many trips to the area to visit with her extended family there.

In Virginia, Mary met and wed, Lester Paul Lamm, with whom she spent 35 years raising a family, and traveling the world. As a couple, they were nearly inseparable as she was a constant companion with Les at work and social events and was even an on again/off again doubles partner with him on the tennis courts. In 1990, putting her selfless nature on full display, Mary donated a kidney to Lester who was suffering from a hereditary end stage kidney disease. Also, in her nature, she never let Les live down this sacrifice by jokingly telling him what he could and couldn’t expose “her” kidney to. Unfortunately, in 1995, Lester passed away unexpectedly. Following Lester’s death, Mary relocated to Las Vegas, NV and there, she met and married her second husband Roy Dickfoss. Over the course of their marriage, Mary and Roy enjoyed traveling to see their extended families on both the West Coast and East Coasts.

While in Las Vegas, Mary entertained many family and friends. Although, she claimed to never have cooked a meal in her life, she kept her pantry stocked for unexpected guests and always enjoyed sharing a table and a drink. Her home was open to family and friends, and friends of family and friends, as she was a gracious hostess with a joyous and welcoming nature. She spent the last few years of her life battling Parkinson’s, but that didn’t deter her from spending time with those that she loved.

Mary is survived by her sister Elizabeth Ashooh (nee Briden); her sister-in-law Sharron Briden; her sister-in-law Bonnie Lamm; her three children and their spouses, Diana Marie Gratz (and Aaron Gratz), Deborah Ann Allen (and Mark W. Allen), Michael Jude Lamm (and Melissa); her eight grandchildren Joanna Gratz, Timothy Xavier Berry, Jonathan Emmanuel Gratz, Zachary Clay Robinson, Simcha Gratz, Nicolas Calvin Berry, Christopher Jude Lamm, Kathryn Elizabeth Lamm; and her two great-grandchildren Cameron Berry, and Penelope Berry.

Mary will be laid to rest at the historic St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Fairfax Station, VA on April 12, 2023.

Thank you to everyone who kept Mary in your hearts and prayers during her difficult final months. In lieu of flowers, please send any memorial donations to the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, or a charity of your choice.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.palmcheyenne.com for the Lamm family.