Dr. John B. Lambert

Dr. John Boyd Lambert, 94, passed away on Thursday, June 13, 2024, at his home in Lake Forest IL. He was born on July 5, 1929, in Billings MT to Jean Lambert and Gail Boyd Lambert. The family lived in nearby Joliet where his father was Superintendent of Schools just 5 miles from Boyd Montana, a town founded by his maternal grandfather who was the first pioneer male to reach the age of 21 in the state. The family moved to Seattle where his father was appointed Assistant Headmaster of Lakeside School, and became a beloved math teacher. John grew up at the school until he left to attend Princeton University where he earned his undergraduate degree in 1951. He was first in his class of Chemical Engineers, graduating Summa Cum Laude, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. A Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Madison followed. His professional career began in 1956 at DuPont in Wilmington, Delaware. In 1969, he joined Fansteel, Inc., in Baltimore. In 1971, he moved to the Chicago area where he shifted his focus to metallurgy and moved through management levels, concluding his career as Vice-President and Corporate Technical Director. He then established a consulting business which attracted customers worldwide. He was a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Chemical Society, American Society for Metals, Electrochemical Society, and Sigma Xi. He earned the University of Wisconsin Distinguished Service Award and the Charles Hatchett Medal from the Institute of Metals. He holds 13 US patents and published many technical articles. He served on the Boards of Directors of Delta Star, Inc., and Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. After the death of his third wife, John managed her travel agency for four years. He was a worldwide traveler both for business and pleasure and organized and led trips for his friends. John was a man of the highest integrity. He was guided by a pure moral compass from which he could not be dissuaded. Despite many personal tragedies, the first of which was his first wife's death when their three children ranged from 3 1/2 years to 3 months old, he never complained. He delighted in golfing, touring the California wine country, travelling the world over, sailing his Lake Michigan sailboat on Geneva Lake, entertaining, and viewing the sunsets and July 4th fireworks from the deck of his lake house in Fontana WI. John is survived by four children, William Lambert, Patricia Lambert-Carhoff, Catherine Reece, Karen Lambert, and his longtime friend, Martha Lewis. He was predeceased by his first wife, Jean Bullard Lambert, his former wife, Marlene, his third wife, Ilse, his grandson, Thomas Carhoff, his son and daughter-in-law, Thomas and Janet Lambert and his sister, Marylee Carson. A visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. followed by a funeral service at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, June 27, 2024 at Church of the Holy Spirit, 400 E. Westminster, Lake Forest, IL. Interment will be 12:30 p.m. Friday at Roselawn Memory Gardens, Lake Geneva WI. A Memorial Service will be scheduled for a later date. For info: 847-362-3009 or share a memory at www.burnettdane.com.

Dr. John B. Lambert

July 5, 1929 - June 13, 2024