Where Food, Drinks & Stories Are Shared
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Joe Lambert

February 21, 1976 - July 26, 2022
Kalamazoo, MI

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Life Story Services

Saturday, August 13, 2022
11:00 AM EDT
Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes
Kalamazoo Location
6080 Stadium Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49009
(269) 375-2900

A reception where food, drinks and stories will be shared will take place in the Life Story Center immediately following the services.

Driving Directions

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

SCPA of SW Michigan
6955 KL Ave
Kalamazoo, MI 49009
Web Site

Flowers


Below is the contact information for a florist recommended by the funeral home.

Ambati
1830 S. Westnedge
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
(269) 349-4961
Driving Directions
Web Site

Taylor's Florist and Gifts
215 E. Michigan Ave.
Paw Paw, MI 49079
(269) 657-6256
Driving Directions
Web Site

Life Story / Obituary


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There is no doubt that Joe Lambert lived his life to the fullest. Known to squeeze in every drop of energy into each day, he lived his life selflessly serving others. He held a fierce love for his family and enjoyed spending time with them. Gone too soon, Joe’s remarkable compassion for others and his amazing love for his daughter will be his greatest legacy.

His story begins in the year 1976 when Nadia Comaneci was a household name in the Montreal Olympics earning three gold medals in gymnastics, NASA unveiled the first space shuttle, the Enterprise, and Jimmy Carter was elected President defeating Gerald R. Ford. During a promising time in our nation’s history, Joseph Edward Lambert was welcomed home on February 21st in Kalamazoo, Michigan. By the time he was eight years old, he and his mom moved to his grandma Ruth Hayes’ home in Norway, Michigan in the upper peninsula. Here Joe would grow up and graduate High School.

Growing up, Joe was always into mischief either with his cousins or with his friends. Curious and always on the go, he sought every opportunity for adventure. One of his favorite pastimes as a kid was to make a Worx bombs. One time him and a friend even managed to destroy one of the panes on a double pane sliding glass door. His mischievousness didn’t end there when he was expelled from the bus for dragging a telephone behind the bus by the cord! When he turned eighteen, he moved back to Kalamazoo to live with his Aunt Peggy. Ambitious and creative, Joe and his cousin started up their own internet business called Kalnet for a short time.

It was while playing an online game that would change his life forever when he met fellow gamer, Mickey Parker. Mickey and Joe started chatting on the side and she enjoyed his quick wit and charming personality. In April of 2002 Joe saved up his resources to take a road trip out to Idaho to meet her and the rest was history. Mickey and her young daughter, Catherine moved back to Kalamazoo with Joe to start their life as a family.

Joe instantly stepped into his role as a father. His personality was the perfect match for Catherine, they seemed to connect through long conversations and Joe’s ability to empathize with the challenges of her teenage years. Many times, they would not see eye to eye and he would remind her that she was just a little Yugo car and he was a big semi-truck and that there was no way she was going to shove him around. Eventually, Joe and Mickey married at the Kalamazoo courthouse on May 2, 2017. There simply wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her or for Catherine. He loved them both with every part of himself.

In 2006, he started out going to school to become a chef. After spending his time at his internship in Pennsylvania he knew that the tough life of the culinary arts would not be for him. Instead, Joe returned to Ferris State University and received a degree in accounting. Accounting was the perfect career for his creative side as well as his attention to detail. Anything that Joe put his mind to accomplishing he was sure to succeed! When it came to providing for his family, Joe worked hard as an accountant with Kellogg’s.

He balanced his work and play evenly. When it came time for relaxation, he turned to his favorite pastime of gaming to unwind. Above all else, his family was important to him. Joe was close with his numerous cousins and looked forward to special family gatherings. Mickey was all about the holiday season and shared her love of hosting and teaching Joe her favorite traditions. Every year, their table at Christmastime seemed to grow. There was always room for one more! These were some of his favorite moments they shared as a family.

Described as compassionate, humble, and full of life and laughter, Joe blessed others with his sense of humor and made others feel special in his presence. He sprinkled his daily life with songs from his heart as he was always singing. Joe believed that everyone should carry a song in their heart to make them happy in life. Although he wasn’t an active member of a church, he leaned on his faith and read his Bible as well as talked to God. Joe wanted nothing more than to be a good person and treat everyone with kindness. His warm spirit was reflected in his ability to be accepting of others. There is no doubt that those who knew and loved him will greatly miss his extraordinary ability to love unconditionally. May they feel blessed to have shared his life and may his memories be eternal.

Joseph Edward Lambert died unexpectedly at his home on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. Members of his family include his wife, Mickey Parker; his daughter, Catherine Baeza; his mother, Penny Lambert; his adopted brother, Nicholas Hayes, his aunts and uncles: Great Aunt Virginia (Ginny) Haycock, Margaret Hayes and son David Hayes, Kathy (Dennis) Ball, Paul (Donna) Hayes, Peter (Mary) Hayes, mother-in-Law, Jeanne Anderson; stepmother, Karen Elmore; stepsister, Heather Clubb; sister-in-law, Marlo (Kyle) Christensen and many other nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Please join us for a Life Story Service at 11 am on Saturday, August 13, 2022, at the Betzler Life Story Funeral Home, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900. A reception where food and drinks and stories will be shared will be held immediately following in the Life Story Center. Graveside services will be held at 1 pm on Monday, August 15, at Ft. Custer National Cemetery. Visit Joe’s webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com to archive favorite memories, and photos and sign his guestbook. Memorial contributions may be made to SPCA of Kalamazoo.

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