Former Northern California Episcopal bishop Jerry Lamb dies at 85

The Rt. Rev. Jerry Albam Lamb, who served as bishop of the Diocese of Northern California for 14 years, died on July 25 at his residence in Southern California at age 85. Lamb was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1940 and earned degrees in philosophy and theology from St. Thomas Seminary before serving as a Roman Catholic priest until 1971. He joined The Episcopal Church in 1977 and was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Oregon that same year. He was elected bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of Northern California in 1991 and became the sixth diocesan bishop in 1992, serving until his retirement in 2006. After retiring, Lamb served as assisting bishop of the Diocese of Nevada and in 2008 was appointed provisional bishop of the Diocese of San Joaquin, where he worked to rebuild the diocese after former Bishop John David Schofield led many congregations out of The Episcopal Church. Under Lamb's leadership and that of his successors, the remaining congregations re-engaged with the wider church. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jane Mary Onstad Lamb, who died in 2023, and is survived by his daughter, Katherine. Funeral services will be held in Sacramento and Upland, California.

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Source: Episcopal News Service — https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2026/07/28/rip-former-northern-california-bishop-jerry-lamb-dies-at-85/