A memorial was held last week for a Coquitlam pioneer and a city Freedom of the City recipient.
The funeral mass for Jean Lambert was held April 15 at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Coquitlam, with a eulogy delivered, in English and French, by his third daughter Diane Johnston.
Born in Willow Bunch, Sask., Lambert was a child when his family moved to Maillardville in 1938 during the Great Depression.
Lambert left Grade 10 at Austin Heights high school to work and, in 1947, he married Suzanne Goulet; the couple had five daughters: Johnston, Michelle Lambert, Pat Turner, Nicole Deakin and Monique Power.
Lambert worked at Seagrams Distillery and held other jobs; however, he’s best known for his public service including founding the French Scouting movement in B.C.
He received many accolades including the Vanier medal, the prix Napoléon Gareau from the Fédération des francophones in 1995, a Queen's Jubilee medal in 2002 and the Freedom of the City in 2004.
Lambert also served with the the Fédération des Francophones de la C.B., l'Association Habitat, B.C. Branch 86 O.A.P.O., Société Francophone de Maillardville and Société Bi-culturelle de Maillardville as well as the Red Cross.
And he founded the Jammers, a band at the Club Bel Âge at Place Maillardville that entertained at seniors care homes; he was a director at the Club, which closed two years ago, and a director emeritus at Place Maillardville.
In 2015, Lambert gave an interview to the Tri-City News for the 60th anniversary of the French Scouts in Maillardville, proudly wearing his Scout uniform.
Lambert leaves behind 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
Donations in his name can be made to the Scouts Francophones (scoutsfranco.com).
