Donna Lambert

Donna Lambert

Donna Lambert
May 11, 1933 – June 23, 2013
Indianola, Iowa | Age 80

Donna De Reus Lambert, of Indianola and formerly of Oskaloosa, died at age 80 on June 23, 2013 in Mercy Hospital, Des Moines, IA after a final struggle with congestive heart failure.

Donna was born on May 11, 1933 in Oskaloosa, the daughter of James and Maxine Parker De Reus. She attended Grant Elementary School and Oskaloosa High School, graduating from there in 1951. Donna attended Iowa State College for one year and then returned home to her roots in Oskaloosa.

In her young adult years, Donna served as a sales clerk for the Tastee Shop. In the fall of 1955, Donna married Myron Lambert, another Oskaloosa resident. They moved to Ames and subsequently lived in Japan, Omaha, Albuquerque and San Francisco. Three sons were born during that marriage: Mark, Gregg and John. The Lamberts divorced in 1969 and Donna returned to Ames, IA where she worked for 20 years as a budget compiler and analyst for the Dean of Agriculture at Iowa State University.

Donna moved to Corvallis, OR in 1992 and spent several years as a receptionist at a medical clinic. In 1997 she moved to North Carolina, where she lived with John and took care of her first granddaughter, Katie. She returned to Iowa in 1998 and settled in Norwalk, IA, just south of Des Moines. Donna was an ardent fan of the Chicago Bears football team, and she enjoyed participating with her son John in “pick’em” contests for each season’s NFL games, often outperforming John and even winning outright several years. Donna’s other hobbies included knitting afghans and collecting movie VCR tapes.

Her surviving family includes her three sons, John (& Vasiliki) Lambert of San Diego, California, Gregg Lambert of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Mark (& Teresa) Lambert of Encinitas, California; a grandson, Mark Jr., and two granddaughters, Katie and Elena; two sisters, Kathy (& Denny) Baker from Clemons, IA, and Mari Beth De Reus (& Steve Nichols) from Bend, OR; and a brother, Tom (& Irene) De Reus who live in the Philippines.

Perhaps due to fate, 50 close relatives, nieces and nephews, and other extended family members gathered with Donna to celebrate her 80th birthday on May 11, 2013 in Des Moines. She was an active participant in that celebration and was in her element with the crowd. Her family and friends are taking comfort from that fortuitously timed event.

Donna was predeceased in death by her parents, her brother Jim De Reus, Jr., and her sister Pat Smith.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, June 29, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel in Oskaloosa with Pastor Alvern Boetsma officiating.
Interment will follow at the Forest Cemetery in Oskaloosa. The Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
Visitation with the family will be Saturday morning from 9:30 until service time at 10:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers for the funeral ceremony, the family suggests that donations be made to the American Heart Association.
The central receiving location for such donations is: American Heart Association; 208 So. LaSalle St. Suite 1500; Chicago, IL 60604-1242