Steve Lambert

Born in Huntington, WV, on August 30, 1947, Steve was the first child of Francis and Margaret (Mott) Lambert. The family settled in Grand Junction in 1955.

Steve graduated from Grand Junction High School in 1965 and continued his education at what was then Mesa Junior College in Grand Junction and Northern State College in Greeley. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in English with a minor in political science, and later attended graduate school at Western State College in Gunnison.

In 1978, his son Bret was born. Steve was a loving father, very involved in his son’s life and proud of Bret’s accomplishments.

He taught school 30 years in Mesa County, retiring in 1999. Steve was an educator with a keen sense of humor. On a fishing trip, he ran into a former student who commented, “I remember you Mr. Lambert, what did you teach?” Steve replied, “I don’t know, what did you learn?”

While teaching at Central High School, he met Amy Johnson — the love of his life, best friend, and partner in crime. They were married in 1999 during a backyard party that was also a surprise wedding ceremony. They enjoyed a deep love and genuine partnership.

Steve and Amy enjoyed traveling together and experiencing different cultures. They explored the Grand Mesa, the Baja Peninsula, the desert southwest, and most recently, several countries in Europe. They also loved road trips, often having no particular destination in mind, just enjoying the ride.

Steve was happiest when rowing a river. He rowed every major whitewater river in the American West, including the Green, Snake, Salmon, San Juan, Dolores, four trips through the Grand Canyon, and over 100 trips through Westwater Canyon. He always said the stars were the best when viewed from a river canyon.

An avid skier, Steve started at Mesa Creek Ski Area (NOT “Old Powderhorn”!!). When Powderhorn opened, he won a contest to name the Powderkeg run. His graduate paper on the history of skiing is on exhibit at the Colorado Ski Museum. Bluebird day or not, he loved the slopes.

Along with his sense of humor and love of adventure, Steve embodied kindness, compassion, wisdom, and loyalty. He had a presence that people were drawn to. In response to a question of what he wanted people to remember about him, Steve wrote “How lucky I was to have Amy. How lucky I was to have a son. How much I appreciated my friends and how much fun I derived from them. I hope I played well with others.” And he did.

Steve is survived by his wife Amy Johnson-Lambert of Grand Junction, his son Bret Stephen Lambert of Oslo, Norway, his brother Bruce (Rita Coon) Lambert, and his sister Mary Lambert.

A celebration of Steve’s life will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions can be made to Hope West Hospice or Roice-Hurst Humane Society.