John F. Lamond, II

John F Lamond II of Williamsburg, formerly of Alexandria, and Clifton, Virginia, died at the Hospice House, Park St., in Charlottesville VA on August 26, 2015 at the age of 88. He was diagnosed with a Glioblastoma brain tumor on August 10, 2015. Prior to that morning in August, John was in excellent health.

John was born to a Scottish father, John Fleming Lamond and his mother, a descendant of the original Dutch settlers of New York, Charlotte Williston Lamond in their home on Powell Ave, The Bronx, NY. His older brother, Lester and sister, Thelma were adults when John was born. If you have seen the stone lions at The Bronx Zoo, then you have seen his father’s work as a Scottish Stone Mason. As a young child, John’s job was to collect eggs from his pet chickens in the back yard coop; as a result he refused to eat poultry for his entire life

After graduating 8th grade from P.S. 36 John was admitted to The Bronx School of Science, class of 45. He continued his competitive swimming at Science and for the Downtown Athletic Club. As an AAU swimmer he was offered a place in the Olympic Trials but WWII prevented that opportunity. He instilled a love of New York City in his children, grandchildren and great grandsons with his stories of biking across Manhattan at breakneck speeds, his father and uncle’s adventures during prohibition, swimming in the East River, life guarding at Throgs Neck Pool, working in Mr. Potters’ Haberdashery and being a dock boy for the Staten Island Ferry.

At the age of 17 John’s father gave permission for John to join in WWII only if he would join the Navy which was considered by many to be the safest of all branches. John served aboard the USS Earl K. Olsen (DE-765). Instead of graduating with his classmates in June of 1945 he was in the Pacific islands. Ironically, this “safest branch of service” gave him one of the highest mortality rate assignments in WWII. He was part of the signal corps and demolition crew that landed first on the Japanese held islands to climb the highest point and signal the best landing approach and to demo the mines on the beach. Launch skiffs from his ship often departed with 8 - 10 Navy personnel with often only 2 returning. John served in the US Navy from Dec. 1944 - August 1946. Barely 19 years old; John was awarded the Victory Medal, American Theatre Medal, and Asiatic Pacific Metal.

John was a member of the Olmstead Presbyterian Church growing up. Upon his return to The Bronx after WWII, his preacher recommended a Presbyterian college in ranch country. John and his best friend, Bill Foden, enrolled at Hasting College in Hasting, Nebraska. John loved the college and continued to be a life long supporter.

In the summers, John would work at various YMCA camps. In the summer of 1948, at Estes Park, Colorado, he rescued a southern belle on a run away horse, his future wife Cora Peeler Lamond. They shared adventures and a wonderful marriage for 64 years before she died Thanksgiving 2013.

In 1951, having graduated from Hasting College, John moved to Mississippi to teach high school. After the birth of his first daughter, Heather, he realized he needed to find a job that would provide for a growing family. The family moved to Memphis, Tennessee where his second daughter, Mary, and his son, John III, were born. John enrolled in Southern Law University 1954 - 1956. Later, John enrolled in Memphis State University and received his Master’s Degree, January 1962, in Education Administration. John worked as a civilian for the US Air Force and joined the National Guard Reserve as he began work on his PhD. During the Bay of Pigs John’s unit was sent to Florida to prepare to invade Cuba. Luckily he never left Florida and upon his return to Memphis his very nervous wife requested he resign from the National Guard.

In 1963, the Air Force Depot in Memphis was closed and John was transferred to the Pentagon. At this time, his work on his PhD at University of Tennessee came to an end. With the promise of horses and visits to the ocean, his family agreed to make the move. John and Cora lived in Fairfax City for one year while building a home and stable on 10 acres in Clifton, VA. John then joined the Air Force Reserve and later retired after 20 years of service. When John left his civilian job with the Air Force, he joined the Department of Health, Education and Welfare; Office of Personnel. Later, President Carter appointed John the Deputy Secretary of Personnel for the newly formed Department of Education in 1980.

John was very active in the Boy Scouts. In 1965, he created the Clifton Boy Scout Troop 1104. While serving as the original scout master, he is credited for encouraging and mentoring many to achieve the Eagle Scout Rank. He was also served as the Clerk of the Session for the Washington area Presbytery. During the Civil Rights movement, John was instrumental in opening the Clifton Presbyterian Church to African Americans. In 1968, he invoked the threat of a boycott if changes were not immediately implemented in the Church’s charter to allow for integration.

After his retirement in 1989, they sold the farm in Clifton and moved to Alexandria, VA. There they joined Heritage Presbyterian Church. One of John’s other loves was his sailboat, Brigadoon. John’s favorite time to set sail was when a “small craft warning” was issued by the Coast Guard. Three generations of his family shared great adventures of sailing with Papa on Chesapeake Bay.

For decades, John and Cora enjoyed annual visits to Scotland, especially Dunoon, on the Firth of Clyde. They included their grandchildren on several of those trips. Holidays and special occasions would find John and family in kilts with a wee flask of single malt in their sporran. The beliefs in the “little people” and the warnings of Fairy Circles have been shared with four generations.

In 2000 John and Cora were ready to leave the Northern Virginia traffic behind and moved to Ford’s Colony in Williamsburg, VA. They built a home they affectionately called “The Swamp House”, as it is on a protected creek. Shortly after moving in, John adopted his best buddy, his Chocolate Lab named Mocha, the world’s smartest dog.

John’s memberships include The Burgess Society of Colonial Williamsburg, St. Andrews Society of Williamsburg, and Clan Lamont Society of North America. John was former member of the Caledonian Society, Saint Andrews Society of Washington DC, Clifton Presbyterian Church, Capital Yacht Club, Clifton Lions Club, and Chantilly National Golf and Country Club.

John is survived by his children: Heather and Chuck Walker, Mary and Dave Olivero, and John III and Tina Lamond; his grandchildren Brandy (Noah) Walker-Spitzer, Jack (Emily) Walker, EricaJoy Olivero, John IV, Sam and Natalie Lamond; his great grandchildren Charlie, Joey, Ozzie and Sophia; first cousin Edith Bohr; and his brother in law, Sam (Pattye) Peeler. John’s memory and stories will be cherish by many.

John left instructions to donate his body to research. Memorials may be made to the YMCA of the Rockies, PO Box 20800, Estes Park, CO 80511, or to the Salvation Army of your choice. A memorial service will be held graveside, December 7, 2013, 2:00 p.m. His ashes will be interred next to his wife in Shannon, Mississippi. Services are being provided by W.E. Pegues Funeral Home, Tupelo, Mississippi.

As John said “It’s not goodbye, but So Long and Remember to say your prayers.”