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REMEMBERANCES OF
MY FATHER, Thomas G. Lambert
My father, THOMAS G. LAMBERT, left no information to us about his youth. All that we know about him was written by my mother below: I was fortunate enough to find a very small picture of him [Thomas G. Lambert] in some of mother’s possessions when he was just a boy. I took it and got it enlarged and it was one of my most prized possessions. I do not have any recollections of my father, but I would like to tell you some of the things I remember. I can still see his happy face, his winning smile and feel of his great love for me. He would walk from 4th South and State Street to our home on 618 So. 9th East to save the 10 cent bus fare to bring us home a surprise in his pocket. I remember sitting out on the swing on the front porch each night waiting for him to come home. Every Tuesday night mother and the rest of the family would go to Mutual. Dad and I would do the dishes and then take the dried bread that was left, put peanut butter on it and have hot chocolate after we had finished. I used to ask him if I could take a friend with us when we went for a drive, I can still hear him answer, “no my darling, if we were in an accident and I hurt one of my own it would be all I could stand, but if I hurt another person’s child, I would never be able to handle it.” I remember walking downtown with him and every person we saw knew My Dad. He would always stop and talk and then introduce me as his most beautiful little daughter. (of course, he thought that about each one.) I love giving talks in Sunday School, and I will never forget how proud he was of me and how he made me feel loved. I know my father was with me many times after his death to guide and protect me. I am so looking forward to again meeting “MY DAD”, and to thank him for MY HERITAGE. HAPPY REMEMBRANCES OF MY ASSOCIATION WITH THOMAS G. LAMBERT, MY BELOVED HUSBAND We first met in childhood. I was eleven years old when we moved to Salt Lake from Heber. My sisters Leolia and Carrie had a beautiful home built for us at 275 Paxton Avenue. Tom lived about a block north at 1056 South 2nd West. As I had to pass his place to go to school, I often saw him and his brother Isaac working in the garden to grow their vegetables. The first time I went to his home, his sister Maggie was giving a party. Tom was not there. I wondered where he was, but later I heard he was working in the barn until the girls went home. He was very bashful, but not for long. As we grew older and associated with the girls and boys in parties. Tom was always a great favorite with the girls. He was very good looking, some might say handsome. He had a fine build, large and strong, but sweet and amiable, with such a genial way and pleasing personality. He was always ready to serve anyone to make them happy. He was 5 feet 10 inches tall and his weight was 176 pounds, with violet blue eyes, dark brown wavy hair, with a pleasant smile for all. He was especially kind to old people and little children and loved to do good. As our acquaintance grew, our respect deepened, and we soon became very dear friends; in fact, I depended greatly upon him. We were in many plays together. He usually called for me and took me home; then we used to go to the ward dances together. I always preferred him when the other boys asked me to go with them. We saw the best staged performances in the Salt Lake Theater. In all the appointments Tom and I made together he never disappointed me. He was a man of his word, honest, truthful, dependable, loveable, and ingenious. He had a very winning way with him, and could persuade others to his way. He had the most striking, pleasing personality. Everyone loved him and he was welcomed into any home or place of business. As he grew older and had business experience, he was perfectly at home and at ease in anyone’s company –rich or poor, governor, president of the church, or any person of rank or position. One person said of him, “He always knows just what to talk of that will be of special interest to each individual.” I never heard anyone say an unkind word about him. He worked at the Lambert Paper Company, later Zerllerbacks, for 22 years as a salesman, and always led in sales. He won many prizes for leading salesman. He bought the Horton Book Store at 27 East Broadway, a framing novelty, and book shop, with all special day cards, gifts and favors. He ran this store for twelve years and then went into exclusive framing. He was a loving, kind son to h is widowed mother, giving all he hade to her for many years, and building two rooms on their home for her comfort. Tom and I went to missionary class the same winter. We had many happy times together, and one night when we came home from Mutual we were standing on the porch. We got to talking seriously of the future, when all of a sudden, he said in his usually calm way, “Would you like to be my wife?” I said, “I would hate to think of being anyone else’s.” He wanted to buy me a diamond and I said “Didn’t you receive a call to go on a mission?” “I would rather have you go on a mission than to receive a diamond.” So in October, 1905 he left for England. He was there two years and made many life-long friends. His picture remained on their walls when others were all taken down. He was the means of many being converted and coming to Utah. They were always received and treated royally at his home afterwards. He arrived home November 27, 1907. We were married February 26, 1908. We were blessed with four boys and four girls. We spent nearly twenty-five happy years together, for Tom’s whole life was spent in giving pleasure to his wife and family, and their people. As a husband he was ideal, always kind and affectionate, ever considering my comfort and happiness, doing everything to keep joy singing sin my heart. As a father he was an example to all – tender, loving, forgiving and patient, teaching his children to do right and setting a worthy example. He was a great church worker, usually among the young people. They all adored him and he had a great influence upon them for good, always ready to help any of them. Everyone loved him in life, and at its close, the Pioneer Stake Hall was far too small to accommodate the friends who came to pay respect to him. He was killed in an automobile accident Saturday, September 17, 1932. The last evening we spent together we were so happy and words of love and appreciation were spoken by both of us for each other. At the dinner table Calvin, our youngest child, age five, said, “Daddy, let me sit between you and Mama.” Daddy said, “No, son, nothing can ever come between your mother and me.” And in less than an hour we were separated for this life. We went to the emergency hospital to see him and got a doctor, but he was dead, being killed instantly by a basal fracture, cutting the back of his heard open two or three inches, and cracking the skull clear across the head inwardly. Yet not a scratch on face or body. My darling children led me gently away, leaving our darling papa, who could never come back to us. The home was crowded with friends for many days, hundreds of friends and relatives came to offer their sympathy and services. Everyone did everything possible for us. Some businessmen and doctors sent their bills back canceled, some brought money, other friends brought fruit, cake, pie, vegetables, and even a full course dinner. Flowers and gifts came from every direction. We were never alone a minute. God bless such loving friends who gave such needed sympathy! May I pass it on to others. His funeral was held in Pioneer Stake Hall Wednesday, September 21, 1932. The many friends and beautiful floral offerings bespoke the great love and esteem they held for him. Internment was in Wasatch Lawn Cemetery. My loving children lavished their love and affection on me and made me realize life was still worthwhile. God help us to carry on! Transcribed from “My Acquaintances and Friendship with Thomas G. Lambert” At this time I was living at 275 Paxton Ave with my parents, my sisters Leolia, Carrie, Eva and my brother Judson, also a niece by the name of Alice Galloway. My oldest sister died at the birth of this little daughter and she was sent from Texas to live with us, I was only three months older than she so we were raised like twins, we dressed alike and were often mistaken for each other. We went to the Giant school, which was about eight blocks from home. As we were going to school one morning we passed a garden of vegetables, (we were about 12 years old) there we saw a young boy hoeing the garden – we smiled at him and said “Hello” – after this he often walked to school with us, we saw him very often as we lived only a block apart. Once his sister gave a party and I was invited. After being there for some time I wondered where Tom was, but did not see him all evening after wards I heard he hid in the barn until all the girls went home – he was very bashful but he afterwards went to many parties we were at. Tom had a brother Isaac, just a little older than himself. Mother liked him very much. Alice and I were never allowed to go any place alone and were usually accompanied by Mother, if any fellow asked to take us out Mother promptly dismissed, but if Isaac asked us to go out to the Lake or anyplace Mother quickly gave her consent. This was our beginning to associate with him and he was very kind and took us many places. Mother soon became more generous and alowed us to have other boy friends and go places oftener. We belonged to a little club, it was a Literary club, one night Allie and I were brought home by two fellows we disliked very much, it was early when we got home and they sat on the porch – Allie and I were full of mischief we gave each other the wink, she excused herself and went in, I followed. We were laughing and snickering at the joke we were going to play on them, that was to let them stay until they got tired – then go home, we were going to bed – but mother’s quick ears caught what we intended to do and she quickly gave us to understand that would not be the mark of a lady after allowing them to walk home with us, we must treat them respectable but if they asked to come again it was our privilege to refuse them, so we were quickly sent out to bid the boys, “Good Night.” Mother was very refined and cultured and every time we left the house she would say to us, “Now be little Ladies.”
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