The founder of North Carolina grocery chain Carlie C’s IGA has died.
Mr. Carlie C. McLamb Sr., 78, of Dunn passed away Saturday at Wake Med surrounded by family. He was 78.
Mr. McLamb was a lifelong grocery man, opening his first store in 1961. The Carlie C’s IGA chain has grown to 17 stores. Among Mr. McLamb’s many retailing honors, he received the IGA International Retailer of the Year and the North Carolina Retailer of the Year awards.
Mr. McLamb was born Jan. 15, 1937, to Ada Pearl McLamb and the late Malah McLamb in Johnston County. He was a devout Christian and long-time member of Leslie Methodist Church as an adult and Beulah Baptist Church as a child and young adult.
Mr. McLamb was a charter member and the founding president of the Mary Stewart Lions Club. He was a Melvin Jones Fellow Lion Humanitarian Services Award winner and was the recipient of the Lion of the Year Award on a number of occasions.
Additionally, he was an avid supporter of Campbell University and was a member of the board of trustees. Mr. McLamb served on the Betsy Johnson Board of Trustees. He also was a founding member and board director member of Standard Bank and New Century Bank and enjoyed the banking business immensely.
He was a recipient of the Campbell University’s Presidential Medallion Award, Dunn Man of the Year Award, the Methodist College Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Scouting Man of the Year Award, among many other personal awards.
Mr. McLamb served for the Central Carolina Community College Foundation, the Dunn Area Planning Board, Dunn Chamber of Commerce, Harnett County School Advisory Board and the Aversboro Fire Department, among other civic and charitable organizations. He enjoyed family and friends along with fishing, cooking and snow skiing. Mr. McLamb was known for his passion, gentleness, generosity and service to others.
Mr. McLamb was preceded in death by his siblings, Jerry Malah McLamb and Robert Hughes McLamb.
In addition to his mother, Mr. McLamb is survived by his wife of 60 years, Joyce Strickland McLamb; two daughters, Toni Ann Strickland and husband Buddy Strickland and Carla Sue Lubbers and husband Dale Lubbers; son, Carlie C. (Mack) McLamb Jr. and wife Zada Register McLamb; seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; sisters, Ruthlene Lee and Ettie Mae Blackmon; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. today at Skinner Smith Funeral Home in Dunn. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Butler Chapel at Campbell University, located at 60 T.T. Lanier Street in Buies Creek, North Carolina.
Memorials may be made to Leslie United Methodist Church, 277 Stewart Rd., Dunn, N.C. 28334, or to the Mary Stewart Lions Club in c/o Nat Johnson, 2446 Hobson Rd. Dunn, N.C. 28334.
