William R. "Bill" Lambert

Merritt Island, Florida

WILLIAM R. LAMBERT. The family and many friends of William R. "Bill" Lambert

announce his passing on Sunday, November 13.

Mr. Lambert was born February 26, 1930, and grew up in Biscoe, North Carolina, eventually

earning an athletic scholarship in baseball to the University of North Carolina. Bill married the

one love of his life, Lucille Hurley, also from Biscoe, on December 23, 1951. The couple would

have celebrated their sixtieth anniversary next month.

Mr. Lambert started his working career with Sears-Roebuck and Co. but soon set out as an

entrepreneur in the North Carolina pulpwood industry. There Bill established his successful

Southern Pulpwood & Cedar Company and by 1970 he and Lou moved to the North Carolina

coast, where he soon developed an interest in the seafood industry. Not a man to rest long on his

laurels, Bill Lambert then perfected a number of scallop processing patents and established

Lambert Seafood Company, which specialized in the harvesting, processing and sale of calico

scallops.

In order to develop the Florida calico scallop fishery, Bill and Lou moved to Merritt Island

Florida in 1975, where they grew Lambert Seafood Company to a major seafood producer out of

Port Canaveral during the 1980's and 90's. After selling his Florida seafood interests to a

national company, Mr. Lambert 'retired' to his next avocation-the acquisition and

environmental enhancement of large tracts of wildlife preserve land.

During the last decade of his life, Bill Lambert could rarely be found except in the operator's seat

of heavy equipment, building wildlife ponds and conducting bio-enhancement projects on his

ranches in North Central Mexico, where he and his loving wife Lou have recently spent most of

their time together.

Bill Lambert is survived by his wife, Lucille, his daughter Cindy Lambert-Linker, son-in-law

James C. Linker, and the many, many heart friends and hunting buddies he left behind for a

better place.

Calling hours are 6-8PM Wednesday November 16, 2011 at Wylie-Baxley Merritt Island Funeral Home. Services will be held 1PM Thursday November 17, 2011 at the funeral home chapel.

Condolences may be offered at www.wyliebaxleymerrittisland.com

Arrangements under the direction of Wylie-Baxley Funeral Home, Merritt Island, FL.