Larry Eugene Lambert

Chief Warrant Officer 4 (Ret.) Larry Eugene Lambert, 75, a proud United States Navy veteran, passed away on March 24, 2026, of natural causes. Larry was born on February 17, 1951, in Texarkana, Texas, to Alva Eugene Lambert and Lyla Gyrene Canaday.

Larry spent much of his youth in Wake Village, Texas, where he moved the summer after fifth grade. Living about a mile from the local baseball field, he quickly became one of the “village kids.” Summers were filled with pickup baseball games, which turned into touch football in the fall. Known for being one of the tallest among his friends, Larry often played first base and wide receiver, his long arms giving him a natural advantage. During high school football, he became part of a memorable moment when, after dressing out and heading to the overhead bars to stretch, he let his shoulder pads cut off circulation to his neck, passed out, and got out of practice for the day, leading some to say he may have been smarter than the rest.

In the summer of 1968, Larry and friends Ricky Pope and David Sellers set out in his 1958 Ford for a road trip to Garland, Texas, to visit a classmate. Along the way, the radiator sprang a leak and the car overheated. After getting a push to a service station and refilling the radiator, they continued on, only to spend hours unsuccessfully trying to repair the leak. The return trip to Texarkana turned a two-hour drive into a six-hour journey, stopping every 20 minutes to refill the radiator. True to form, Larry made it home and promptly got rid of the car.

Larry graduated from Texas High School in 1969 and enlisted in the United States Navy in 1970, beginning a distinguished 26-year career in weapons ordnance. A proud Vietnam Veteran, he served aboard the USS Midway, USS Coral Sea, USS Lexington, USS America, USS Kitty Hawk, USS Constellation, and USS Nimitz. His duty stations included Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida; Naval Air Station Lemoore, California; and Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada. He retired from the Navy on August 1, 1995, as a Chief Warrant Officer 4.

At the time of his retirement, Larry was recognized for his sustained superior performance, exceptional leadership, and technical expertise. He was known for mentoring junior personnel, maintaining outstanding operational readiness, and setting the standard for those who followed him. His commanding officer described him as the model squadron gunner whose leadership and competence were critical to the command’s success, both underway and ashore.

His military decorations and honors include the National Defense Service Medal (2), Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (5), Battle “E” Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation (2), Good Conduct Award (3), Navy Achievement Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Navy Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with Bronze Star, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (2), Expert Pistol, Presidential Unit Citation, and Southwest Asia Service Medal with Bronze Star.

In 1984, while stationed at NAS Lemoore, Larry met the love of his life, Peggy, at a Halloween party, one he nearly missed due to the exceptional hospitality of local authorities. On April 4, 1986, Larry married Peggy, and together they built a life centered on love, loyalty, and family. Peggy brought two children into the marriage, Ken and Stacey, and Larry stepped into their lives with love, supporting and caring for them as a devoted father figure. In 2000, Larry proudly swore in his son Ken Pereira into the United States Air Force, continuing his legacy of service and family commitment.

Larry loved camping and traveling, especially trips to Wishon, California, with Peggy, her late brother Jim, and his wife, where stories of catching 75 fish and raccoons eating from Jim’s hand became cherished family stories. While stationed in Fallon, he drove nearly every highway across the Sierra Nevada and loved to reminisce about those adventures.

After retiring from the Navy, Larry briefly worked at J & J Construction alongside his brothers-in-law, John and Jim, who were fondly known as the “Three Musketeers.” In 1998, he began working in Central Supply at Adventist Health Hospital in Hanford, California. That same year marked another milestone in his life as he became a grandfather, a role he embraced with pride and joy. One of his favorite early memories was waking to the sound of small footsteps on the wooden deck as Katelyn, his oldest grandchild, slipped outside to pick tomatoes from the garden and eat them right off the vine.

Larry also shared a love of racing with his family, attending the spring Las Vegas NASCAR race each year, first with his son Ken and later with Ken and his granddaughter Katelyn. A devoted fan of Dale Earnhardt Jr., he later cheered on Chase Elliott after Dale Jr.’s retirement. Race days were a full tradition, starting with a parking lot Bloody Mary and ending with a post-race tailgate.

He retired from Adventist Health in 2013. In 2015, Larry and Peggy moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, to be closer to their son Ken, his wife Janet, and their growing family. He cherished time with his grandchildren, Kenley and Jackson, and loved being part of their everyday lives. In 2017, they moved to Waco, Texas, where Larry fully embraced grandpa life, including chicken wrangling, battling giant grasshoppers, camping with lifelong friends, and enjoying time back on familiar ground.

In 2023, Larry and his family returned to Las Vegas, where he spent the remainder of his life. Far from quiet or uneventful, those years were filled with continued travel with Peggy and a shared love of new places and experiences. They welcomed their youngest grandson, Jace, whom Larry adored. He loved watching Kenley perform in dance competitions and often spoke with pride about how many books Jackson could read. They frequently visited their granddaughter Katelyn and her partner Henry in Carson City, Nevada, where Larry enjoyed trips to Virginia City, stopping for a beer at the Bucket of Blood Saloon and even riding the old steam train.

Among many treasured memories in his final years was a Las Vegas flyover experience that he was initially hesitant about but quickly embraced, laughing, giggling, and reacting with childlike excitement in a way his family will never forget.

A devoted follower of Christ, Larry was a lifelong patriot who enjoyed sharing stories from his time in the Navy. He was a passionate sports fan, especially of the New York Yankees, a longtime Fresno State season ticket holder, and a recent supporter of the Vegas Golden Knights. He also enjoyed NASCAR, the Reno Air Races, traveling, camping, BBQing, and spending time with friends and family. Above all, Larry loved being a husband, father, Dadaw, uncle, and friend.

Larry is survived by his wife, Peggy Ann Lambert; his son Ken Pereira and wife Janet; his daughter Stacey Perez and husband Mark; and his beloved grandchildren, Katelyn, Kenley, Jackson, and Jace, along with numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Alva Eugene Lambert and Lyla Gyrene Canaday, and Peggy’s brother, Jim Matias.

A Celebration of Life will be announced in the coming weeks.

Larry will be remembered for his unwavering faith, his dedication to his country, and the deep love he had for his family. He will be greatly missed and forever cherished.