Orell A. Lambert

Orell A. Lambert, age 93, of Bourbonnais, died Saturday, November 19, 2016 at Presence St. Mary’s Hospital in Kankakee. He was born April 27, 1923 in Manteno, the son of Arthur & Eva Boucher Lambert. Orell married Mary Martha Louis December 2, 1943 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Dwight. She preceded him in death March 29, 2014. Orell was a devoted husband, loving father, proud grandfather, and caring friend. He enjoyed spending time with his family. Orell was born to be a farmer. He started farming when a handshake was your word, the fence post marked your property, your neighbors were your family and best friends, and getting to church on Sunday through snow banks and ice was the most important part of the week. Through the changing face of farming, Orell taught his growing family the important things in life: baling hay, gardening, raising chickens, pigs, sheep, beef cattle, milk cows, doing carpentry, and growing corn, beans, wheat, barley, and oats. Along with farming he worked at the Florence Stove Company in Kankakee during World War II. Orell was an avid reader of every farm newspaper and magazine. He loved driving his John Deere Gator around the farms with his grandchildren and sitting on the garden bench, marveling at all the energy they used while playing. He was a member of Maternity BVM Catholic Church in Bourbonnais, serving as an usher and a member of the Holy Name Society and the Knights of Columbus. “Thank you, Dad, for all of your hard work. We will carry on the tradition that began with our great-great grandfather, Jean Baptiste Boucher in the middle 1800’s.” Surviving are his 13 children, Mary Ann Lambert, Connie Lambert, Charles (Maureen) Lambert, John Lambert, and Kevin Lambert, all of Bourbonnais, Kathy Lambert, Monica (Randy) How, all of Fort Collins, CO, Tom (Joanne) Lambert of Kankakee, Jeff (Julie) Lambert of Clifton, Richard Lambert of Boston, MA, Annette Lambert of Homewood, Beverly (Tony) Novak of Cape Coral, FL, and Laurie Lambert of Madison, WI; two sisters, Madeline Latham Roe and Margaret Lockwood Bullock of Bradley; one sister-in-law, Helen Simpson of Columbia, MO; four grandchildren, Christopher (Meghan) Lambert, Ryan Lambert, Daughon (Christian) Fitzhugh, and Olivia How; four great-grandchildren, Allison, Luke, Ellis, and Louis; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his dear wife of 70 years, Mary Martha, he is also preceded in death by his parents, Arthur & Eva Lambert; four brothers, Edmond (Rose) Lambert, Robert (Rita) Lambert, Leo (Oline) Lambert, and Bernard (Shirley) Lambert; seven brothers-in-law, Michael (Gerry) Louis, Dave Simpson, Russ Hansen, Tom Roe, Sanky Latham, Neil Lockwood, and Ora Bullock; and one sister-in-law, Teresa (Don) Fogarty. Visitation will be held 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 27, 2016 at Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home in Bourbonnais. His funeral Mass will be celebrated 11:00 a.m. Monday, November 28, 2016 at Maternity BVM Catholic Church in Bourbonnais. Rev. Richard Pighini will celebrate the Mass. Interment will follow at All Saints Cemetery in Bourbonnais. Please sign his guestbook at www.clancygernon.com

Orell A. Lambert

April 27, 1923 - November 19, 2016