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       William J. Giokas, V.P., Lamb Knitting Machine Corporation, provided the following information for publication in the Antique Knitters Circular.

John W. Giokas, President of Lamb Knitting Machine Corporation, died April 22, 2002
       John W. Giokas died on April 22 in the hospital and was survived by his wife of 56 years, Bessie "Bee" (Fanos) Giokas, three sons and two daughters-in-law, William J. and Virginia C. Giokas, Andrew J. Giokas, Dr. George J. and Marie A. Giokas and a daughter and son-in-law, Eugenia "Gini" G. and Robert L. LaPalme. He was also survived by 3 brothers and 8 grandchildren.
       He graduated from Chicopee High in 1937 and except for his service in the U.S. army during WWII worked his entire life for the LAMB Knitting Machine Corp. He became the sole stockholder and president of the company in 1950.
       During his career at LAMB, he developed the two, three and five color vertical stripe border machines, as well as a complete line of small diameter circular knitting machines. These machines were used and still used to make flat trimmings, drawstrings and shoelaces.
       Under his direction, LAMB became a worldwide leader in narrow fabric knitting machinery. He was most proud of the fact that he directed a company that was established in 1867 through several decades of change in the U.S. textile industry and that he passed it on to his two sons with an enhanced reputation for quality, workmanship and dependability of all its products.

       The Lamb Knitting Machine Corporation, under the direction of his sons, will continue manufacturing knitting machinery in the style fashioned by John W. Giokas in over 50 years of outstanding leadership.
       It has been a pleasure and privilege to do business with the Giokas family, and I will long remember the hospitality shown by Mr. John W. Giokas, President, Lamb Knitting Machine Corporation.

October 1865 U.S. Patent #50,369 issued
  to Isaac W. Lamb
March 1867 Lamb Knitting Machine
  Company established in     Chicopee Falls
1890   300 employees
1867 to 1890 45,000 machines sold

  1.   Merged with A. G. Spalding
  manufactured bicycles
1901-1931 Manufactured knitting machines
  1.   Reincorporated as Lamb Knitting
  Machine Corporation

My Introduction to John Giokas
  by Fred Hauck
      In October of 1999, by invitation of John Giokas, I took my Lamb Flatbed Knitting Machine to the Lamb Knitting Machine Corporation factory in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, for servicing. I left the factory with a working knitting machine, new needles, and operating instructions, thanks to the personal attention from the President of the company.
       I introduced Mr. Giokas to subscribers of Antique Knitters Circular in the first Issue of that publication, January-February, 2002. Since that first visit, John has supplied me with new needles, numerous old documents, instruction manuals and catalogues.