E. Clair Lambert

E. Clair Lambert, 91, of Fulton, SD, passed away Monday, January 18, 2021 at the Madison Regional Health System. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 AM on Saturday, January 30th at St. Charles Catholic Church in Artesian, SD. Visitation will be held Friday from 2–6 PM at the church with a prayer service at 6 PM followed by a Rosary led by the Knights of Columbus. Interment will follow at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Artesian with military rites provided by SDANG 114th Fighter Wing and American Legion Post 47. The funeral will be livestreamed on the funeral chapel Facebook page. Masks will be required. Online guestbook is available at www.rustandweilandfuneral.com. Arrangements are entrusted with Rustand-Weiland Funeral Chapel of Madison. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to Miner County 4-H, SD IFYE Assn, Good Samaritan Center~Howard and be sent to Rustand-Weiland Funeral Chapel, 320 N Egan Ave., Madison, SD 57042. Clair was born April 25, 1929 to Earl and Lois (Carpenter) Lambert. He graduated from Fedora High School as salutatorian in 1947 and attended South Dakota State University for three years before returning to the family farm. Clair enlisted in the US Air Force in 1951 and served as a TTAF Instructor for Avionics at Lowry Air Field, Denver, CO. Clair met Phyllis Oster of Ethan, SD through the SD Rural Youth Organization (aka Young Men and Women), and they were married on October 6, 1952 in Ethan, SD. Upon completing his US military service in 1955, Clair and Phyllis returned to Miner County, SD to begin a lifelong journey raising a family of seven children, instilling values from their faith and those learned in farming. Clair began with purebred Hampshire swine and sheep as a youth and built a diversified crop and livestock operation as his family grew. Purebred Shorthorn cattle, purebred and crossbred Spotted swine farrow to finish, commercial Holstein milk cows (40+ years), Hampshire sheep and all the various feeds necessary to sustain and grow them were produced on the farm. Even after his retirement, Clair remained involved in agriculture, working for 10 years at Mitchell Livestock Market checking in cattle on sale day and on the farm assisting with haying and the newborn calves in the spring, his favorite time of year on the farm. Clair was instrumental in the growth of many organizations: Artesian School Board (24 years), Post 47 Artesian American Legion (60+ years) serving as Post Commander and longest active member of Post Color Guard, Chairman of the Fedora Alumni Association for many years, Miner Country Extension Board (22 years), SD Shorthorn Assn., and Knights of Columbus Artesian Council and Msgr. Thomas A. Flynn Assembly (40+ years and Honorary Life Member) Clair’s extensive involvement in 4-H spanned nearly 80 years. He was awarded a trip to National 4-H Club Congress, was a charter member of the Helpful Workers 4-H Club and 4-H Leader (40 years), attended 77 SD State Fairs as a youth exhibitor, 4-H Leader, and 4-H judge. He also was a judge for many years at the county level, and on the 4-H Camp Lakodia Board. He was elected as President of the SD 4-H Leaders Association in 1988. Clair and Phyllis participated in the North Central 4-H Leaders forums for 15+ years, and Clair co-chaired the 1993 North Central 4-H Leaders Forum. He was an active member of Farmer’s Union and served as a Beaver Township Board Supervisor. Among the many awards Clair received for his significant contributions include: Friend of Extension (1994 presented by the South Dakota 4-H Agents and Extension Assn.), a Volunteer of the Year at the 4-H Clover Classic by the State 4-H Advisory Council (1995), Mitchell Daily Republic Newspaper “50 Great Faces Special Addition (1996), South Dakota Eminent Farmer (2001), SD 4-H Hall of Fame Inaugural Class (2002), and Miner County Friend of 4-H Award (2010). Clair was well respected for his listening skills and thoughtful insights into many different situations. When he spoke publicly in response to questions about being a 4-H leader, he stated, "Children and youth are our most precious natural resource. I've felt that for a long, long time. I guess that's why it's only natural to want to be involved with them." Clair is survived by his wife of 68 ½ years, Phyllis, Howard, SD, seven children: Karen Lambert, Artesian, SD; Jane (Terry) Cooper, Bismarck, ND; Alan Lambert, Sioux Falls, SD; Paul (Julie) Lambert, Madison, SD; Linda (Craig) Maeschen, Dell Rapids, SD; Craig Lambert, Fulton, SD; and Wayne (Heather) Lambert, Mitchell, SD. Surviving brothers include: Harry Lambert, Mitchell, SD; Merlyn Lambert, Longmont, CO; Neil Lambert, Loveland, CO; and Darrell Lambert, Ft. Worth TX. Clair was proud of 18 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. Clair was preceded in death by his parents Earl and Lois Lambert, and sister, Eloise (Lambert) Moon.