Mark Jay Lambie

Mark Jay Lambie passed away on Monday, September 4, 2017, at the age of 72.

Services will be held at Whitehurst, Sullivan, Burns & Blair Funeral Home on Monday, September 11, 2017, at 10:00 am.

Mark married his high school sweetheart, Linda, in St. Paul, MN, and they recently celebrated their 52nd anniversary. They moved to California in 1967, settling near family in Orange County. They had three daughters, Sherry, Julie, and Gina. They enjoyed traveling, often hitching up the RV to cruise around the country.

In his early career, Mark worked for McDonnell Douglas. In 1969, he started with the Federal Aviation Administration as an Air Traffic Control Specialist. He worked at airports throughout California, beginning at LAX, and eventually moving to Fresno in 1981, to work at the tower as a Supervisory Air Traffic Control Specialist. He remained until his retirement in 2004, after 35 years of service.

Mark had a lifelong interest in airplanes, automobiles, boats, and motorcycles. When he was younger, he and his brothers were hang gliding pioneers, known for popularizing it as a sport. He worked on many aeronautical projects with his brother Jack. He aided in the development of the Gossamer Condor, the first man-powered aircraft to win the Kremer prize. Together, they built a replica Wright Brothers airplane for a television movie. He was a volunteer pilot in the Civil Air Patrol for many years, performing search and rescue missions in the Sierras, and border patrol.

He was a member of many organizations, from the Quiet Birdmen to the San Joaquin Valley Miata Club. He was very fond of his rescue dogs over the years. He loved his walks to the river, and daily visits to the dog park with Kyle and their dogs, Rossi and Jackpot.

Mark is survived by his wife, Linda Lambie, his three daughters, Sherry Lambie of Playa Del Rey, CA, Julie Kumagai of Fresno, CA, and Gina Kruger of Brooklyn, NY, and their husbands, Jeffrey Herskowitz, Jason Kumagai and Louis Kruger. He was a proud Poppi to his five grandchildren, Madeline and Hayley Kumagai, Jackson Herskowitz, and Mathis and Julian Kruger. Mark is survived by his sisters, Elizabeth Zwicky of Coon Rapids, MN, Mary Leonard of Orange, CA, and Margaret Lambie of Columbia Heights, MN, and his many nieces, nephews and loving friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Florence Regina Sanchagrin and Horace Henderson Lambie, and brothers Richard Lambie, John Lambie, William Lambie and Jerome Lambie.

Remembrances may be made to the Fresno SPCA and the Fresno Rescue Mission.