Donald "Capt. Red" Lambert,
former resident of West Yarmouth, MA died on 30th of December, 2014
on the island of Maui, Hawaii, at the age of 81.
Capt. Lambert was better
known as "Capt. Red" to all who knew him.
Born in Boston, he held a Bachelor's degree from Boston University and a
Master's Degree from Bridgewater State College.
As a youth he was an Eagle Scout, and later enlisted in the United
States Marine Corps, serving in both enlisted and officer ranks. After he received his commission, he served
in several capacities, one of which was an Atomic Defense Officer. He was a participant in the atomic testing in
the Nevada desert in the mid 1950s where he participated in the largest
nuclear blast ever detonated in the U.S. He was one of the first in
New England to take up SCUBA diving, owning one of the very first aqua lungs
imported into this country and later operated a dive shop in Hyannis. He was also a pioneer in the
sport of sky diving in the early sixties and was eventually severely injured in
a freak accident during an exhibition at Lake Elsinore in California. Upon his honorable discharge
from the Marine Corps, he settled in West Yarmouth, where he served as a
Yarmouth police officer, Harbor Patrol officer, Assistant Shellfish Warden and
Assistant Harbor Master.
Capt. Red was a member of the
Masonic fraternity and served as a Master of Howard Lodge A.F. & A.M., South Yarmouth. He was later employed by the Town of Bourne
as a teacher and taught at the Jr. High level for 30 years.
During the summer seasons he
was employed by Hy-Line of Hyannis as a Senior Captain for over thirty-five
years and operated all types of vessels from sight-seeing and fishing boats to
large passenger ferries between Cape Cod and the islands of Nantucket and
Martha's Vineyard. For many years Capt. Red provided live marine weather reports via local AM radio while navigating Nantucket Sound. He loved the sea and was also
a commercial fisherman when time permitted.
He was known up and down the East Coast and was considered to be an
exemplary boat handler. He took great
pride in the fact that several of his former crew chose the sea as their
livelihood and went on to earn their licenses as Merchant Marine Masters. Capt. Red loved
motorcycles. He started riding at the
age of 16 and rode regularly till his final months.
He leaves behind his wife of 58 years, Louana Lyman Lambert (link) and six married sons: Dr. Bruce Henry Lambert of Stockholm,
Sweden; Capt. Kriss Alexander Lambert of Washington State; Ross Francis Lambert of West
Barnstable; Capt. Keith Drummond Lambert of Kihei, HI; Dana Lyman Lambert of East Dennis;
and Dr. Ryan K. Stuart Lambert of Honolulu, HI; 3 grandchildren: Connor, Kailani & Brooks; many inlaws & extended family. 'Ohana in Hawaii include the Lyman, Mills, Mattoon, Payne, Farden, Ewaliko, Brickwood and Kualii progeny; family elsewhere include Drummond, Diamond, Brockleman, McGowan, Gripp, Gibbons, O'Donnell, and Robertsons. Burial at the
convenience of the family.
Obituary : Donald "Capt. Red" Lambert / Donald Drummond Lambert
